Until the Day I Die
by Red Warrior
Summary: "You ought to be proud, like the lion you hide under that kitten's pelt. You never cease to make me proud." MiaxDiego one-shots, no timeline.
1. 1: Kitten

**Disclaimer: if I owned the Ace Attorney series, Diego would have never been poisoned. _Never. _And he'd have a dozen kittens with Mia. But... I don't own the series. Can't you tell? **

**#1 - KITTEN**

"Told you you should have brought a thicker coat."

Mia Fey only received a murderous glare from the man who was walking next to her, whose teeth were clattering slightly although he was trying to appear as if the snow wasn't bothering him at all. She had warned him about Kurain's freezing weather, but as per usual, the all mighty Diego Armando had brushed her warnings aside, and had only downed his light red coat.

_Oh, well, I warned him after all. Although, I kind of pity him right now, it's a long walk before we reach Fey manor, _Mia thought, glancing every now and then at her closest friend whose long legs had trouble carrying him through the snow. Diego was pissed, Mia could tell, but he wouldn't breathe a word.

"Remind me again," he finally spoke up after a while, once he was able to utter words without risking having his tongue severed by his clattering teeth. "Why am I here?"

The younger lawyer sighed. "If you didn't want to come, you could have said no, you know."

Diego flashed her his usual smirk, though his lips were quivering a little because of the cold. "I'm just messing with you, kitten," he chuckled. "I would have come even if the trip involved twice as much snow and no coffee until dinnertime."

"Geez, thanks, now I feel flattered," Mia snorted.

"Though I could really use an espresso right now."

Mia slapped her companion's shoulder good-heartedly in mock anger. Though, she had to admit, she was thoroughly impressed; what with the car trip and the snow, Diego had somehow managed to keep off the black beverage for seven hours. Mia was sure that had to be some kind of record for the dark-haired attorney.

If Mia was completely honest with herself, she was surprised Diego had so readily accepted to accompany her. Everything began two weeks earlier, when Mia had gotten a phone call from her younger sister, Maya, who lived and trained in Kurain. Maya would soon turn twelve, and Mia almost slapped herself for not remembering.

_Well, it's not like I didn't have much on my plate either. A month ago, I officially became a lawyer, and my first case... my first client, Fawles... well he... _Mia shook her head, glancing at Diego's hand without even being aware of what she was doing. She had never thought he could crush a mug just out of anger, in the middle of the courtroom on top of that. She clearly remembered the blood running down his hand and seeping through his clothes as he shoved the wounded appendage in his pocket without giving it a thought, and his grin as he told her she shouldn't be crying. She practically had to beg him to have his hand looked at, but in the end ("Please stop mewling, kitten, you're giving me a headache.") he had caved in and gone to a doctor. He got a few stitches, which had been removed a few days after Maya's phone call. All that was left of Diego's outburst was a still red scar in the middle of his palm.

Mia couldn't remember how much time she had spent holed up at home blaming herself for Fawles' suicide. Before she drove herself sick over it, though, Diego had run to her help. He took her out for long walks, dinner, movies, anything that could distract her from her first case. Fortunately, Grossberg didn't have any case for them at the moment, so they were allowed free time. When he noticed that Mia had trouble staying home by herself, Diego had suggested she slept over at his place. At first, Mia was worried that he was just trying to put a move on her, but his offer had come with nothing but a genuine look of concern on his tanned features, so she had said yes.

Those few nights spent at Diego's flat had done nothing to quell the butterflies she got in her stomach every time the older attorney was near. Ever the gentleman, Diego had given her his bed and taken the couch, ignoring her furious protests under the reasoning that "kittens like you need the best basket they can find." Too tired to argue, she had eventually collapsed within the soft sheets. The pillows smelt of coffee, of course, and another scent which seemed to define Diego. Needless to say, Mia slept peacefully that night, and the others after that one too.

And then, Maya phoned. She wanted Mia to come over to Kurain for her birthday, since she hadn't seen her in nearly six months. Mia was worried that back in Kurain, the elders still were mad at her for leaving and becoming a lawyer, but she was so sorry she had neglected her little sister that she promised she would come and spend a few days in Kurain to make up for lost time. Maya was overjoyed.

"Who was that?" Diego had asked, sitting on the couch next to her as she turned her cellphone off. He had, unsurprisingly, a steaming mug in hand.

"My younger sister," Mia had answered. "She's turning twelve in two weeks and I'm going to visit her." And then, out of nowhere, out of the blue, and without even her inner consent: "You want to come along?"

She had expected him to laugh, or at least to look puzzled, but Diego had only shrugged, taken a cautious sip of coffee and answered. "I would never let a cute kitten like you alone on the streets."

And here they were. Trudging through knee-high snow, luggage in hand, after parking Diego's red car in a spot where they wasn't too much of the white stuff. In addition to a backpack of clothes, the brown-haired attorney was carrying a box pierced with a few holes under his arm. Mia had asked about it, but the only answer she got was: "Ha...! Curiosity killed the kitten."

Mia was shivering in spite of her thick green coat, and as the wind picked up, she began to really pity her friend. She eyed his black backpack. "Didn't you pack a thermo in there?" she asked as she poked the black fabric.

Diego nodded. "That assumption would be correct," he said.

Mia rolled her eyes. "Then take it out and drink some hot coffee, it'll do you good." _I can't believe I'm actually saying this. Most of the time I tell him to lay off the stuff. _

"No, I'm fine."

Mia nearly tripped. Diego Armando, refusing coffee? The world was doomed. "What... don't be ridiculous! You don't have to act like everything is okay just to look tough." After his lack of answer, Mia angrily muttered something about "foolish man pride" and zipped his backpack open, grabbing the thermo and Diego's favorite mug which had been packed as well, despite the older man's protests.

When she opened up the thermo and poured some of its content in the mug, however, Mia noticed there was something wrong with the coffee. It wasn't black, as Diego liked it, but kind of beige. "What the... is that café au lait?" she asked.

"Ha...! I guess it is," her friend said.

"But you hate milk! Don't you?"

"Well, it really is quite simple," Armando began; and no, Mia decided, he was definitely _not _fidgeting. "I only have one thermo at home, and I know you hate straight black coffee. I thought about tea, but then again, I didn't have any teabag, so... Café au lait was my best guess, if you got cold and needed something to drink."

The young woman blinked; he had willingly avoided bringing coffee so he could have something hot she liked to drink. How was a girl supposed to brush such an act aside? "I... Thank you, Diego," she mumbled as she put the thermo back into place, nursing the mug, and hoping she wasn't blushing.

He grinned. "No need to thank me, I know how much kittens like milk."

"Will you ever stop with that kitten thing? Would you like me to refer to you as a "pup" whenever we talk?" Mia said, amused.

Diego made a show of looking bewildered. "You don't want that, kitten. Dogs eat cats, after all, and even though I admit your flesh may have a sweeter taste than the best coffee in the world, I wouldn't want to devour you. Unless you insist." He flashed her a smirk over his shoulder and resumed trekking through the snow.

This time, Mia's cheeks were set on fire. _That's not what I... I mean... I never... Damn that man and his silver tongue! _

* * *

"Sis! You're really here! Haha!"

It didn't come as a surprise when, as both lawyers reached Fey manor, a small figure sprang from the shelter of the hall and sprinted toward them. Maya Fey, now twelve year-old, dashed through the snow and jumped to give her older sister a fierce hug. She wasn't very tall, reaching a little past Mia's chest, and her long dark hair was pulled up in a neat bun. With every step she took, her purple and white robes swayed and the green magatama around her neck bounced around.

"I was beginning to think you'd never come!" Maya chirped, a huge smile on her face.

"Well, I'm here, aren't I?" Mia laughed, hugging her sister back. "Happy birthday, Maya!"

When both girls pulled away from each other and turned to Diego, he took it as his cue to introduce himself and extended his free hand. "Hello, happy birthday young girl. I'm Diego Armando, I'm-"

"You're sis' biggest friend, and she works with you too!" Ignoring Diego's hand, Maya sauntered up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, effectively hugging him. "I'm glad I finally get to meet you, she told me soooo much about you!"

"She did?" The coffee-loving attorney glanced at Mia, who was seemingly finding the frozen floor to be of utmost interest. He chuckled.

"Maya?"

The small voice had come from within the manor. Maya quickly released Diego and turned around, a horrified look on her face. "Oh no! I forgot!" Mia's sister ran back to the manor, quickly followed by both adults, who feared something had happened.

But Maya just knelt and held out her hand. "Come on, Mia is here! You remember Mia, my big sister? She visited us a few months ago. Come on, don't be shy!"

Quizzically, Diego extended his head; there, hiding behind the decorated screen, a little girl was shuffling with her feet, unsure about what to do. She eventually moved to take Maya's extended hand and came into full sight, which allowed the lawyers to see that she was wearing a miniature version of Maya's clothing. There were two pearls in her hair, framing the sides of her face, and the magatama around her neck seemed too big for her.

Mia gasped. "Is that...?"

"Yes," Maya beamed, "this is Pearl Fey, our little cousin! She turned three some time ago."

"She grew so much." Mia deposited her luggage – which consisted of a small-sized suitcase – near the entrance and knelt, holding her arms open. "Hello, Pearly, do I get a welcome hug?"

Pearl hesitated, but when Maya nudged her gently, she knew she had nothing to fear and ran to Mia, wrapping her small arms around her older cousin's neck. Mia laughed and stood up, holding the little girl close, causing Pearl to grin widely as she was picked up.

Maya came to stand next to Diego, supporting a big smile. "Isn't she just the most beautiful girl you ever met?"

Diego smiled softly, indulging in the sight of his close friend and her little cousin. "Yes, no doubt about that." But he wasn't sure he was talking about Pearl.

Mia must have noticed he was standing there smiling like an idiot, for she walked over, Pearl still in her arms. "Look, Pearl, this nice mister here is my friend. His name is Diego Armando. Can you say it? Diego Armando."

"Dee-ay-go! Arr-muun-do!" Pearl's little face scrunched up in concentration and she tried again. "Day-GO! Mun-DO!"

"She still has some trouble with new words, I read with her and everything but..." Maya sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait until she is older to start really teaching her."

Diego smiled. "Don't worry, it's not that bad, at least she got "go" and "do" right."

"Go-do!" Pearl exclaimed happily. "Godo! Godo!"

Mia chuckled. "I think that will be your name from now on, Pearl seems to like it."

"Godo? What a lousy name... Can't she try "Diego" again?" the dark-haired attorney asked.

Mia shook her head. "That's what you get for receiving such a complicated name."

"Well, what can I say, I've got a complicated name because it fits my intriguing mind. Why, I feel sorry for people who have short names and hold no mystery at all, people such as, oh I don't know... Mia Fey?" His infuriating grin was back.

Mia huffed, trying to think of a witty comment to send back and wipe that darn smug look off his face. However, Pearl must have realized that Mia was upset by what Diego had said, and before the young woman could open her mouth, Pearl was swatting at the male attorney with a frown on her youthful features. "Bad Godo! Meanie!"

It wasn't quite what Mia had in mind, but nevertheless, the astonished look on her friend's face was worth a thousand retorts.

"It's okay, Pearly, I think he understood," Mia said when she was done laughing at Armando, stopping Pearl's wild flailing hands.

The little girl crossed her arms and glared at Diego. "Sorry," she said firmly.

"I forgive you, little kitten, you don't have to worry," the man said, now chuckling.

"Sorry," Pearl repeated, and it didn't sound like she was apologizing. It sounded like a request.

"She means to say you have to apologize to Mia," Maya said quickly, as if embarrassed about something. "But..."

Diego raised one eyebrow expectingly. "But?"

"But... the only way I taught her to apologize is by... kissing the other person's cheek." Maya's eyes shot to the ground, and her cheeks took on a faint red color. "She won't settle for less."

Diego inwardly groaned. _What, I have to bend to a three year-old kid's will? Some attorney I make... then again... _A wolfish grin swept over his features. _I wouldn't want the little girl to stay cross with me forever, now, would I? _

"Maya, this is ridiculous, you can't-" Mia's voice trailed off as a warm pair of lips was pressed against her cheek, just below her eye. Whether they stayed there a second or an hour, Mia didn't know, but once they were pulled away, she felt like the patch of skin on her cheek where Diego had kissed her was burning while the rest of her body was still frozen by the cold. Or shock. Or both.

The whole ordeal, though, seemed to satisfy Pearl who wriggled out of Mia and happily sauntered back inside the manor. Maya followed her, but right before she was out of sight, she turned to the co-workers and grinned.

"Actually, saying sorry would have worked just as well, but... I just couldn't resist!" And the young teenager was off, giggling.

A heavy silence settled between the two attorneys, only broken by the chilly wind. Mia busied herself looking at her feet, not daring to look at Diego.

Her male companion sighed, and a scratching sound informed her that he was rubbing his neck, just like he always did whenever he was outsmarted – which didn't happen that often.

"Your sister... I can tell she won't make our stay easy."

* * *

About one hour later, Diego was sitting on a futon, in the room he had been allowed to stay in, barefoot, glaring at the kettle that was hung over the roaring fire.

Had those people no decency? They had no coffee here in Kurain, just that disgusting tea stuff; he had been disappointed, but took comfort in remembering that he had packed his coffee machine, which was tucked away safely in his car's trunk. It was a forty minute walk from Fey manor, and through snow, but he probably wouldn't stand another day without coffee.

So he went and got his machine while Mia was having a talk with some elders; only to discover, while searching for the universal source of power, that this freaking village didn't even have electricity!

And now Diego was boiling water, his coffee maker lying forgotten in a corner, wondering how in hell he was going to produce a somewhat decent mug of his prized beverage with some ground coffee beans – a small stash he always kept in his car, just in case – some hot water and, of course, no filter.

He felt like he had been reduced to a caveman.

And what was taking Mia so long, anyway? She said she would be back soon, but night was falling already and no sign of her. Diego sighed.

A lonesome caveman.

His door then slid open to reveal his favorite kitten; upon noticing that she had some trouble carrying her futon and suitcase at the same time, his annoyance vanished and he stood up, taking her suitcase and holding the door open for her to slip through.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"Don't mention it, kitten." Diego slid the door shut and turned around to see Mia had settled her futon near the fire, not far from his own sleeping area. "Weren't you given your own room? Or is it that you just can't find sleep if I'm not within reaching range, yours for the taking?" The smug grin that followed that question soon faded when Mia's expression didn't change, and she busied herself with smoothing out the wrinkles on her futon. "Is something the matter?"

Mia let out the faintest of sighs, but it didn't go unnoticed by the sharp attorney. "Everything is all right, don't worry."

_Everything's all right? Yeah, and I'm Grossberg's wife. _Diego carefully deposited Mia's suitcase next to his coffee machine and walked over to her, his bare feet making soft sounds against the wooden floor. Then he crouched down in front of her, looking at her in the eye. "If _everything is all right, _then, why are you sharing a room with me when I'm sure you could very well have your own room? I don't mind," he added swiftly when she frowned and was about to retort, "but still, I'd like to know. Who ruffled my kitten's fur the wrong way?"

Defeated, Mia sat down on her futon, and Diego wasted no time in taking a seat right next to her. "It's just... it's all just so stupid, Diego!" she growled, and the man was slightly surprised – both by her tone and the use of his name, which, even after the time they had spent together, Mia seldom used. "They are still mad at me for leaving Kurain, and if I thought they despised me before, now I'm sure they hate me!"

"Who?"

"The elders. But there's more... They think... They think I've come back to snatch Maya away from Kurain!" Mia ran a hand down her face, sighing deeply. "Oh god, Diego, they won't stop pestering me, even in my own room! So I got fed up and thought that, maybe, they wouldn't dare disturb you; so I came here."

"You are most welcome, kitten. But pray tell, why are you under the impression that the elders wouldn't... "bother" me?"

Mia fidgeted a bit. "Well, first, you're a man-"

"Dear god, kitten, have you ever thought about becoming a lawyer? I mean, such a brilliant deduction..."

"I'm not done! As I said, you're a man, and I don't know if you've noticed but there aren't many men here in Kurain. Plus, you're especially tall and imposing, and remember when you shook the elders' hands earlier? Well, that had an impact on them, I think. They're not used to guests being so forthcoming, so they kind of... respect you. Or they're suspicious, but either way, it means that you won't be bothered by any of them."

Armando frowned. "If the way I acted was offending, I should-"

"You didn't offend anyone." Mia sighed tiredly. "I'm so sick of this. I left Kurain so the title of Mistress would fall to Maya, and we wouldn't have to fight for it as my mother and her sister, Morgan, were forced to. I did what I thought was right, so why can't I drop by once in a while to visit my sister, just like a normal family?"

A weigh on her shoulders made her raise her head and she noticed that Diego had one arm around her smaller frame to comfort her. His rich brown eyes were staring at her, and for once there was no hint of a smug smirk on his face. "Mia," he began, and she could tell he was serious by the use of her real name, "you have nothing to be ashamed of. What you did... it was the right thing. And sometimes it takes a great deal of courage to do the right thing. You shouldn't be ashamed; you ought to be proud, like the lion you hide under that kitten's pelt. You never cease to make me proud."

Tears gathered in Mia's eyes, threatening to spill over, and she finally wrapped her arms around Diego to hold him tight. "Thank you," she mumbled against his red shirt. "For believing in me."

The older attorney chuckled, rubbing her back. No more words were needed, so they stayed where they were, Mia taking in her closest friend's scent, and Diego comforting her. Time seemed to stop, until eventually...

The kettle gave off a loud hissing sound.

Diego jumped, his head almost colliding with Mia's. He had completely forgotten the kettle! "Ha...! I'll get that!" Clumsily, the tanned man untangled himself from Mia, barely avoiding crushing her feet, but in this struggle his own foot got caught in his futon, and he soon stumbled and crashed to the floor.

Mia rushed to his help. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked frantically.

"I'm fine, I'm just... tangled!" Diego struggled to get rid of the sheets he had rolled in, the ear-splitting sound of the kettle beginning to turn his brain to mud, and making it all the harder to free himself from the futon of doom.

"Stop flailing, I'll hold this end and you just roll over," Mia instructed.

"I'll just get tangled more! I need to be able to move my legs!"

The hissing sounds soon became unbearable; as if the kettle was going to burst.

"_Please just get that thing away from the fire_," Diego hissed through gritted teeth, and when Mia released the futon and put the kettle away, shutting out that awful sound, the male lawyer gave off a big sigh of relief. "Thank you..."

"Why were you boiling water? Needed a cup of tea?" Mia asked as she neared him again, trying to untangle his long legs from the white sheets.

Diego shook his head, twitching a little when she managed to free his ankle by twisting at the wrong angle. "Your uncultured family apparently isn't aware that some of us mortals need to indulge into other beverages than water and disgusting tea, and it's been almost ten hours since my last cup."

"Oh. So, what I knocked all over the ground right now really _is _coffee powder."

"_You what?" _

Diego twisted his body in earnest so he could witness the dreadful act himself; but to his relief, the medium-sized black jar was unharmed. He flashed Mia a dark look. "Do you have any idea what you are joking about, now, kitten?"

"Oh, come on, take a joke, Mr. Armando." Mia's Cheshire cat grin was infuriating. Did she feel that way every time he smiled smugly at her? If that was the case, he sure as hell wasn't going to stop doing it.

"Oh yes? Then how good a joke do you think this is?"

The coffee lover made a large sweep with his free leg, effectively throwing Mia off balance and having her crashing down on top of him. If he hadn't expected the sharp pang of pain as her elbows dug into his chest, and her hip into his groin, the look of utter bewilderment on his kitten's face was worth it. She was so shocked, in fact, that she didn't even realize she could get up and just stayed unmoving, staring at the chocolate eyes and cocky grin mere inches away from her own face.

"Well? Cat got your tongue?" Diego asked, and his deep voice was just above a whisper.

"I... You..."

Those tantalizing lips parted to reveal shining teeth – strange, Mia decided, that his teeth remained so clean while he chugged down at least ten mugs a day – and Diego chuckled, that rich, deep, bewitching soft laughter that never failed to have Mia looking away for fear that he might notice the blush upon her cheeks. Well, there was no way she could hide it from him now.

She wondered just what would happen if she got a little closer and kissed him.

Mia shook her head; she knew she shouldn't fall for the Spanish lawyer. He was always playing with her, whenever he got the chance, and while his attempts at seduction had gotten less and less frequent those last few weeks, there were still present – hence the predicament she found herself in.

No, she decided, Diego Armando was out of reach. _Then how come he seems so close? _

"If you are going to make me miss an opportunity to make coffee," Diego said softly, dark brown eyes locking onto mocha ones, all semblance of smirk vanished and replaced by seriousness, "I suggest you make it worth my while."

_Why do you have to torture me like this? _

His lips were so close... She bent forward a little bit, her elbow resting on his ribs through the sheets and his clothing. She felt his cloth-covered hands wriggle their way to her hips, closing around them in a loose hold, so that she could get up whenever she wanted to. But Mia Fey didn't know what she wanted.

Her mouth, however, seemed to have a clear idea of how to spend the next few minutes, because it never stopped nearing Diego's.

The door suddenly slid open the moment Mia's lips brushed her co-worker's. Both adults turned their heads to the door, looking like deers caught in headlights, to see Maya standing there with a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, dear god..." the young girl gasped.

"Maya, listen, it's not what you-" Mia began to explain, sitting up.

"Why didn't you guys tell me you were having a sleepover? Let me get my futon, I'm coming too!" And with that, Maya ran away, leaving the door wide open.

A few seconds of silence followed the young medium's departure, after which several things dawned of Mia. First, she had almost kissed Diego Armando, her co-worker and mentor. Second, she wasn't drunk and had been aware that she was going to kiss him. And finally... she was sitting in his lap.

She mumbled something about taking care of the coffee before stumbling away from him, smoothing out the wrinkles on her skirt. She was embarrassed beyond reason; now he knew he had breached her barrier, and would be rubbing it in her face in a matter of minutes, no doubt about it.

Mia busied herself with the kettle, pouring hot water in Diego's white mug as she heard the rustle of cloth, then its absence, which gave away that he had untangled himself. She could almost feel his triumphant, smug, snooty, addicting stare as it burned holes into her back.

The kettle almost flew out of her hands when his chin came to rest upon his shoulder; she hadn't heard him approaching. Hesitantly, she turned her head a bit to get a look at his face. To her utter surprise, there was no trace of pride on the tanned features; just plain sincerity, and maybe, just maybe, some level of curiosity.

"Mia."

Her name, a request, a question. All of this, in a single word, whispered by the man she didn't quite know what to call anymore.

She sighed. "Diego, I... I don't know..."

She felt him nod against her shoulder. "I understand, kitten. I understand." His head shifted and he pressed a soft kiss to her temple, his stubble grazing her cheek, as she sat frozen in place. She barely registered when he took the kettle and the jar from her. "I'm going to take care of the coffee if you don't mind. Wouldn't want your little paw pads to get burnt."

His usual grin was on his face. He was back to normal; how could he do that? How could he brush what had happened aside so easily? Mia couldn't decide whether she hated him or loved him more.

"Pearly wants to sleep with us too!" Maya exclaimed cheerfully as she waltzed in, carrying two small-sized futons, her young cousin clutching her robes. "Well, I guess she does, she keeps repeating "Godo" and I think that means you, Mr. Diego."

Right on cue, little Pearl let go of Maya's robes and wandered over to where Diego was sitting, leaning on his shoulder. The tanned man gave her a soft smile and allowed the toddler to take a seat in his lap, carefully holding the coffee mug out of reach. "I thought you were mad at me, little kitten?"

"Pearly can't stay mad at anyone," Maya said as she put the two futons on the ground. "She was gifted with patience and forgiveness."

Mia smiled; she hadn't forgotten about the previous situation, but she would put up a good front for her little sister. "Speaking of gifts, Maya, I still haven't given you your birthday present."

Maya's eyes lit up. "You got me a present? Sis, you didn't have to! I was just happy you could come, and bring Mr. Diego with you!"

"I actually have a gift too." The coffee lover leaned back, making Pearl giggle as she snuggled into his chest, and carefully grabbed the box he had brought with him with his free hand. "I really should have given it to you earlier."

Maya sat down next to Diego, and Mia opened her suitcase to retrieve a small red package, about the size of a big book. Under Pearl's curious gaze, Maya tore through the crimson paper and her eyes widened. "A voice recorder!" she exclaimed, taking out a recorder, a tape and a small microphone. "I read about those! Thank you sis!"

"Well, I've got something that's getting lonely," Diego said as he gently pushed the box toward her. "Try and be careful, please, its content is to be handled with care."

Maya nodded and, with more care than Mia had seen her show since she was born, she removed the pink ribbon keeping the box closed. And when she removed the lid, she gasped loudly. Inside, a white kitten with deep blue eyes was looking up at her, curled up into a nest of soft cloth. "A kitty! He's so cute!" She picked the small feline up and cradled it to her chest, wearing a delighted smile.

Mia raised one eyebrow at Diego. "A kitten? I wonder why this doesn't surprise me..."

Diego shrugged. "A tiger can't change his stripes."

"You guys are the greatest!" Maya grinned and hugged them together, one arm around each of the lawyers' necks. "Thank you! That was my best birthday!"

After trying out the voice recorder and playing with the kitten – which, unsurprisingly, Maya had aptly named Godo – for a few hours, the small group was thoroughly tired. Maya had collapsed on her futon, Godo curled up next to her, completely exhausted but utterly happy.

"She didn't even have time to yawn," Diego said softly, idly stroking Pearl's hair. The little girl had fallen asleep against his chest and he didn't dare move, even to retrieve his mug, for fear that she might be disturbed.

Mia took Pearl in her arms. "I'll put her to bed," she whispered, carrying her cousin over to her futon as Diego stretched lazily, his right hand instinctively closing around his mug. Thankfully, it had stayed near enough to the fireplace that it hadn't cooled off too much.

Diego waited for Mia to sit on her futon in front of him. When Pearl was finally settled, the Fey attorney came back to her own sleeping area, adjusting Maya's blanket on the way. She sat down, but never looked her co-worker in the eye, choosing to stare at the roaring fire instead.

A few, long, heavy seconds stretched on.

Diego sighed. "Listen, Mia, if I made you angry... don't think I'm going to apologize. I regret nothing, and I don't think you should regret anything either." Still no answer. She hadn't even looked away from the fire. "Listen, we're not teenagers, we can deal with this and be adults about it. Keeping quiet about something never does any good, this is one of my rules."

Mia didn't budge. Diego growled inwardly, but you shrugged. "Well, all right, whatever floats your boat, Ms. Fey."

The male attorney made to chug down his mug and go to sleep; however, before the porcelain reached his lips, Mia reached over and tugged at the collar of his red shirt. The anger in her eyes made him blink, but there was something else in there as well, something like... passion? "You are never, _ever_ calling me that again, do you understand?" she seethed.

And then she crashed her lips against his. The angle made their teeth collide a little, which made the kiss awkward, but Diego put his mug aside and tugged Mia closer to allow him a better access. Before long she was in his lap, her arms around his neck and one of his hands on her lower back, both engaged in a soft battle for dominance which Diego wasted no time in winning.

When they parted, the Spaniard drank in the sight of his precious kitten as light from the fire bounced along her joyful features, and he grinned. "I never thought you had it in you, kitten, to pounce on me like this," he whispered huskily.

Mia nuzzled into the crook of his neck, closing her eyes. "And I never thought you'd taste like coffee even after spending a whole day without a single cup."

"Ha...! Now that you mention it... it would be a shame if it went to waste." Diego snatched his mug again. _A perfect coffee, after a perfect kiss, to end this perfect day. _"To us?" he suggested as he raised the mug.

"To us," Mia nodded, the long-lasting smile still present. "Although you're the only one toasting."

"Do you want some? I know I have a spare mug somewhere..."

"No, that's all right, I would like to sleep tonight. Not everybody is immune to caffeine you know," Mia said, patting his knee.

Diego nodded, and took a big gulp. And made a face. And spat everything back out and into the fire. "What trickery is this?" he asked, peering into what was left of coffee in his mug – if that evil beverage could even be considered as such.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked, pulling back to get a better look.

Diego was wincing as though he had bit his tongue. "There's... salt! Salt in my perfectly good coffee!"

Mia stood up and retrieved the kettle; she tentatively tasted the still warm water. "Who gave you the water?" she asked.

"A short woman, with glasses and a silken scarf," Diego said, still fighting over the awful taste.

Mia chuckled. "That's Melina. From what I remember, she likes to pull pranks on people she doesn't like. Once, she told me Maya had been run over by a car just so I would get away from the manor. She probably dumped some salt into the water before giving it to you."

Diego glared at her. "I am never drinking coffee again in Kurain," he grumbled.

Mia sat back on her futon, slipping her hand in the sheets. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said: I swear I am NEVER, ever drinking coffee again in Kurain, and that's final." Diego crossed his arms, annoyed at his lack of prized beverage and the waste of perfectly good coffee beans. When he heard Mia chuckle, he gave her a dangerous look. "What are you laughing about? There's nothing funny!"

"You're right, there isn't." Mia then smirked, and pulled the voice recorder from under her sheets. "Or maybe there is."

Diego looked puzzled, but then she turned the recorder on.

"_I swear I am NEVER, ever drinking coffee again!" _

"What the... No! That's unfair! That wasn't the end of my sentence!" the dark-skinned lawyer exclaimed when he came to his senses. "Erase that at once!"

"Oh I don't think you are in any position to give orders, Mr. Armando," Mia purred, holding the recorder out of his reach. "You seriously lack leverage."

Instead of pleading with her or wrestling for the recorder, Diego sat back and crossed his arms, grinning at her. "Fine. You win, kitten. What do you want from me?"

"Well..." Mia seemed to ponder the idea for a little while. "I'd gladly never speak a word of this to anyone... if you would just accept another person in your futon tonight."

Diego laughed softly. "This is a tough decision, and a tedious task you ask of me... but I shall manage to bear it." He stretched on his futon, moving over to give her some space which she almost immediately filled. His strong arm came around her waist, molding her back against his chest, and making her smile.

He softly kissed the back of her neck, his short beard scratching her skin. "Good night, kitten."

"Good night, Diego," she whispered back as she squeezed his hand, and turned her head for a quick peck on the lips. She could really, really get used to this.

* * *

Maya watched in silence as her sister and Mr. Diego bickered over the voice recorder and finally settled down next to one another, hugging. She almost giggled, but couldn't risk giving her position away.

The young medium just smiled at the lawyers' happiness and closed her eyes. _This really is my best birthday ever! _


	2. 2: Catfight

**Now taking requests :) you can send prompts and/or summaries in reviews or pm. I can't promise anything except that I will consider everything :p**

**#2 – CATFIGHT**

This, Mia Fey decided, was highly unusual.

She had been talking to her boss, Marvin Grossberg, about a man that had phoned in the morning, requesting their services. They were standing just beside her office, a stack of files under her arm and a quizzical look on Grossberg's pudgy face as his employee explained why she thought the man should not be taken under consideration - "he first tried to order a pizza, for God's sake!" - and how it was probably a joke.

The Spanish asset of Grossberg Law Office was sitting at his desk, making it look like he was working, but the comments on Mia's assumptions he threw from time to time through his open door gave away that Diego Armando was, in truth, far from being completely interested in the case he was working on.

And then, without so much as a knock, the main door opened suddenly, and in came a man Mia had never seen before. He was tall, and well-built if his square shoulders were anything to judge by, but the first thing that caught Mia's attention was his dark glare. His blue eyes swept over the room from behind glasses, a few locks of messy black hair masking his sight. He was obviously looking for something, or someone.

The long, black coat he was wearing did nothing to ease the female rookie's nerves – nor Grossberg's – but she put on a brave face and even managed a small, polite smile.

"Can I help you, sir?"

The man's dark glare settled on her, and Mia could almost feel her boss inching closer, and maybe hiding behind her much smaller frame. Did he really think she was in any position to protect him?

"Does Armando work here?" came the man's rough question.

Mia blinked. "Uh... yes, his office is right there on your right..."

Without so much as a "thank you" or another look, the man marched over to the indicated spot, slipped into Diego's office and slammed the door shut.

This couldn't be normal. Mia's co-worker knew better than to get himself in trouble, but it really looked like the black-haired man was mad at Diego. And the way he had said "Armando"...

"Mr. Grossberg, do you know this man?" Mia asked, but her boss was long gone. The tell-tale sound of the main door slamming shut told her that Marvin had scampered away. Why wasn't she surprised?

Mia shifted her weight from one leg to the other, uneasy. She should go back to work; she _ought _to head into her office and take a good look at those files she had just received. It would be the right thing to do; but those muffled voices inside Diego's office were just so intriguing. And she was pretty curious to learn what her mentor had done to deserve such spite.

Clutching the stack of documents to her chest, Mia quietly walked over to Diego's door, her heels making more sound than usual on the wooden floor and causing her to wince. It wasn't spying, she tried to convince herself, she was just concerned about her co-worker. The young woman stopped right next to the elegant mahogany door, leaning her back against the wall. She could always say she was waiting to speak with Diego about something, if someone happened to walk in.

The voices were getting clearer; whether it was because she was closer or because they had gotten louder, she didn't know.

"That trial should not have ended the way it did." The newcomer's hissing voice send shivers down her spine. It was now obvious that the man was pissed.

Diego's chuckle rang out. "I don't see why you feel the need to cry over spilt coffee, Leroy. My client's name was cleared, I proved he was innocent, it's all over now. Barging into my office and hissing at me like a rabid cat isn't going to change the fact that you could not prove him guilty."

"He was _not _innocent, and I don't think I used your first name in this conversation, Armando."

At this point, Mia had learned three thing: the man's name was Leroy, he was a prosecutor, and had faced a trial against her mentor recently.

"Fine, _Mr. Prince, _if my client was indeed guilty, then please kindly explain how he managed to be at work and rob a jeweler whose shop is situated on the other side of the town at the same time. Because, though I do try to keep my mind open, I can't fully grasp the concept of someone being able to cheat such essential concepts of physics." Mia smiled at Diego's sweet mocking tone; she could almost see his grin.

"He was _not _at his workplace!" Leroy Prince was getting angrier by the second.

"Ha...! Have you forgotten already? Our client, Mr. Lotso Bucks, is a security guard at Gatewater. On the door of the security room, there's a fingerprints reader, which insure that only allowed employees can get through. Fortunately, the sensor also records whoever entered the security room, and when. As you can see, here..." There was a rustle of paper, and Mia could only assume Diego had gotten a document out. "Mr. Bucks came for a late night shift at exactly 10:32 pm. And the jeweler was robbed at exactly 10:35 pm, judging by one of the watches the robber attempted to steal and broke. There is absolutely no way Mr. Bucks could have crossed the city in three minutes, and since he still has his two hands and nobody stole his fingers to get inside the security room, we can only conclude that he was at work, not on the crime scene."

Even the best prosecutor in the world would not be able to find a loophole in Diego's reasoning. Try as she might, Mia could not think of one. She figured the man was going to walk out and admit defeat, there was no shame in it after all, truth was the only thing that mattered.

But she was wrong.

"You... You forged this!" Leroy spat.

Mia could practically see Diego's eyebrow rise in faked confusion through the wall. "Begging pardon?"

"That fingerprints thing, I wasn't even aware it existed until you brought it up in the courtroom! It's fake, you forged it!"

Mia gasped; forging evidence was the worst thing a lawyer could do, and the best way to get disbarred. And accusing a lawyer of forgery was not something to be done without some serious backup. Clearly, it was the man's anger at being bested speaking.

"Now, Leroy, do you even realize what you're saying?" Her mentor was quite calm. "Winning is not the only thing that matters, our job, our whole purpose is to uncover the truth. And not confuse the courtroom with an arena. Now I suggest you calm down. Here, have a cup of blend #102, it's going to-"

But Diego never got to finish his sentence. There was a loud clank, the sound of glass shattering over the floor, and a muffled grunt. Mia wondered if Diego had dropped his mug, but her eyes widened when she heard chairs being slammed the floor and the dull sound of flesh hitting flesh. _What is going on in there? Should I open the door? _Her heart was hammering against her ribcage.

When Leroy gave off a yelp, she made up her mind and flung the door open, dropping her stack of files in her haste.

Diego had Leroy pinned against the floor, only the man's arms behind his back as the prosecutor struggled to get free. The two chairs that adorned the older lawyer's desk were on the floor, tipped to the side, and white shards were scattered all over the floor.

When the door opened, Diego raised his head. Mia's heart ached when she caught sight of his bleeding nose. "Mia! Don't-"

A well-aimed kick from Leroy cut him off and had him slamming back into his desk. Now really angered, Diego growled and lunged at his adversary with feline grace, pining the other man against the wall with one of his arms twisted behind his back and his cheeks crushed against the wallpaper. "Listen to me, you idiot. Either you stay and we both end up in a hospital room, and since you started it you'll be in trouble, or you leave and we shall never speak of it again. It's up to you."

"Putting up a good show for your little assistant? How pathetic of you, Armando," Leroy smirked, but winced when Diego twisted his arm even more.

"I said: it's up to you."

Leroy muttered something Mia didn't quite catch, but Diego wrenched the man away from the wall and dragged him over to the door. "You're never stepping in here again," the tanned attorney ordered as he flung the battered man out of his office and slammed the door shut.

Mia released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Everything had happened so fast, she had been unable to do anything. But her mind snapped into place when Diego turned to her, an apologetic look on his handsome face. "I'm sorry you had to see this. I've had problems in the past with Prince, but it never came to this."

"It's nothing, I... Mr. Armando, your nose is bleeding quite a lot." Mia took a handkerchief from her pocket and got closer to the taller man, pressing the soft white cloth against his abused nose. The fabric soon turned a deep shade of red.

"You don't have to do this, kitten, I can manage," Diego assured her, but never made a move to stop her.

"Don't move." Mia cupped his cheek with her free hand to stabilize his head, soaking up as much blood as she could. Then she noticed the large brown stain on the arm of his usually spotless red shirt. "What happened?"

Diego shrugged. "That idiot wasn't calming down, so I offered him a cup of coffee. He just grabbed it and threw it my way." The male attorney looked at the white shards on the floor, his lips forming a thin line. "And it was my favorite mug, too."

Mia's eyes traveled over to what was left of Diego's most loved container, and the black beverage pooling around it like blood on a crime scene. Mia inwardly chuckled at the thought that, for Diego, breaking his favorite mug certainly held the same level of seriousness as a cold-blooded murder. But then she noticed some coffee was dripping from the desk, and groaned; the files that were on the desk, the files she had spent hours completing and which only required Diego's signature, were supporting enormous stains.

Diego noticed her groan and when he followed her eyes, his shoulders dropped. "I'm sorry about that, I'll take care of it."

"It's not your fault, you couldn't foresee anything." Once the blood stopped flowing, Mia dabbed his nose some more and pulled back. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No, thank you."

The magatama at Mia's neck trembled, and she frowned. He was hiding something. "You're lying," she blurted out before she thought.

Diego blinked. "What makes you think I am?"

"Well... you haven't called me "kitten" since I walked in, and... I just can tell." Mia hoped that would be enough to convince Diego that if he was injured elsewhere, he'd better tell her.

The Spanish man seemed to debate for a while, but he sighed and brought his arm up. "Coffee was too hot, even for me," he mumbled. Mia took his wrist and rolled up his sleeve, gasping at what she saw. Under the brown stain she had noticed previously, Diego's skin was red and hot where coffee had attacked it.

"Dear God, Mr. Armando... Sit down, I have some salve in my office, I'll go get it. We need to treat this before it gets too serious." Mia ignored Diego's protests and exited his office, walking as fast as she could toward her own working space to retrieve a cream-colored vial, which she promptly brought back to her co-worker.

Said man had picked up a chair and taken a seat in it. The pain didn't look like it was bothering him much, but Mia had a feeling he was just trying to put up a good front. He didn't speak a work as she dragged the other chair across the office and sat down in front of him, taking his injured appendage from the armrest to have a look at it.

The tanned skin was red, as if sun burnt, and the lean muscle of his forearm twitched every time she probed his skin. He didn't utter a sound as she began rubbing the soothing salve into his abused flesh, drawing patterns with her right hand as she held his arm by the hand with her free one. His skin felt hot and smooth under her touch, and although she could feel his fingers twitch around her wrist, he never said anything.

Mia eventually let go when she was satisfied with the state of his forearm. "I don't have a bandage but anyway it's better if you don't wrap that burn."

"You heard everything, didn't you?" he asked so suddenly her grip on his hand almost faltered; but there was no hint of resentment in his tone, just genuine query.

"I... I happened to walk by when I went to retrieve some files..." she muttered uncertainly. Diego's unwavering brown stare soon had her lie crumbling away. "I didn't mean to spy, I was just... kind of worried about what would happen." _And I was right, _she almost added.

The male attorney's eyes fell to the floor, surprising Mia. Was he ashamed that she had to patch him up after the brawl, small as it was? Was stupid male pride the reason why he wouldn't meet her eyes?

His fingers tightened ever so slightly around her wrist. "Did you believe him? When he said I... forged evidence." His eyes drifted unconsciously to a piece of paper draped over the edge of his desk.

Mia blinked; so _that _was the reason he was so silent? He was afraid she had... lost faith in him? All because of an angered man's words?

"Oh, Mr. Armando..." She took his hand into both of hers, which got him to look up. "The idea never crossed my mind. You have nothing to worry about; if anything, I should be the one worrying for your sanity, if you wouldn't put it past me to doubt you over something so trivial."

To Mia's relief, a smaller version of a grin she knew far too well tugged at Diego's lips. He patted her knee with his free hand, nodding. "Thank you, kitten," was the only thing he muttered, but Mia knew he really was grateful.

"You're welcome. Now, you should head home, it's seven pm anyway, and you need a shower and a change of clothes. Don't worry about the mess," she added when he opened his mouth. "I'll clean it while I wait for Mr. Grossberg to come back. I have some things I need to tell him, and we both know he's bound to come back here before leaving tonight."

"Kitten, I can't let you do that, you had no part in this," Diego said, standing up when she did.

"You have to rewrite my files tomorrow, you said so yourself. The least I can do is tidy up your office a bit." Mia took the long brown coat that hung on a rack behind the door and presented it to Diego. "Now, you go home and take care of your nose and arm. You've got lots of things to do tomorrow."

Armando groaned, but eventually gave up. "Fine," he said as he took his coat from her. "Can I at least wait for you, and drive you home?" He had never liked the idea of his young, innocent kitten roaming the streets alone on those dark winter evenings. Made his blood boil, hotter even than the coffee that had singed his flesh.

But Mia shook her head. "No, thank you, there's somewhere I need to go tonight, before heading home."

The comment made Diego's stomach twist; was she seeing someone? He fought the furious growl that threatened to emerge from his throat, and ignored the hollowness in his chest as he grinned his trademark grin. "Getting cuddly tonight with a big mean cat?" he asked wolfishly, but it didn't sound right, even to his own ears.

Mia laughed, but never answered.

Diego's grin faltered. But it wasn't until he was outside, and alone, that it disappeared completely. He sighed. _What a day... _

* * *

It was white, plain, empty and yet full of untold promises, and beautiful. And it was sitting on his desk.

Diego had spotted the brand new mug immediately; how could he not, after all, since he had spent his walk from his car to his office mentally slapping himself for remembering to stop by the bakery for croissants, but forgetting to bring a spare mug at work. He had groaned at the thought that he had no choice but to use those awful styrofoam containers, which tainted his perfect coffee's taste. Or spend a day without coffee.

The attorney hung his coat and approached his spotless ebony desk; the mug stood out like a sore thumb, its pure white color challenging the dark wooden surface underneath.

There was a small orange ribbon tied to the handle; a gift? From whom? Diego's fingers caressed the soft fabric, and something black caught his eye. Upon closer inspection, he saw the little black cat drawn on the ribbon, and instantly understood.

"_There's somewhere I need to go tonight" _he mimicked inwardly, a soft smile gracing his features as he ran a finger along the simple yet elegant handle. She had bought him a new mug.

Mia Fey had bought him a new mug.

His eyes darted over to her office; the door was closed, but he could hear her. She was talking to someone on the phone, a client, from the sounds of it.

Diego walked over to where he kept his coffee maker and started it up, retrieving a medium-sized cup from the drawer underneath. Mia enjoyed coffee, just not straight black coffee. So Diego devoted the next ten minutes to making the best cappuccino he could, mixing coffee and milk – which came from a small bottle he kept for those special occasions – and even adding foaming milk thanks to his coffee maker. One lump of sugar, a spoon – he kept those for special occasions too: you never need to stir coffee – and once his own mug was filled to the brim, he deposited both containers and the croissants he had bought earlier on a tray he had "borrowed" one day from the cafeteria, with every intention of returning it... another day.

Office breakfast. No better way to show gratitude, as far as Diego was concerned.

The attorney reached out to untie the orange ribbon from the handle; but he decided against it in the end. He felt the little piece of fabric belonged there, just the way his little kitten felt right by his side.

Diego grinned as he picked up the tray, minding his tingling forearm, and walked out of his office. Oh, he had long since stopped denying it.

He was falling for Mia Fey.


	3. 3: Boyfriend

**I despise Winston Payne. No, scratch that, I despise Winston Payne's hair. He always uses it to his advantage in the courtroom, this is what I call cheating! Only coffee mugs, whips and frilly cravats are allowed. **

**#3 – BOYFRIEND**

It had been a long while since Diego Armando had had the Grossberg's Law Office all to himself. Oh sure, there was the occasional period of downtime when Diego could enjoy some peace and quiet as well as a mug of his favorite drug, but on rarer occasions he would be alone and watching over the office for half a day or more.

Today was one of those days. Grossberg was away on an important business trip with other attorneys, and would be for the rest of the week. Diego had grinned wolfishly; his employer was leaving him and Mia alone for a week? Had the pudgy man no sympathy for the young woman? Didn't he know Diego would take advantage of every single opportunity to tease and distract her from her work and, possibly, submit her to endless sessions of humiliation and attempts at seduction?

Well, that wouldn't happen until Mia came back. His favorite kitten was several blocks away, on her very first investigation. The previous day, a man in his mid-forties who lived in a house down Expedit Street was killed. Though the circumstances were unusual, and the theory of suicide quite believable, Mia had accepted to have a look. She had yet to find her first case, and was eager to be in the courtroom as a real attorney and not a bystander. As his mentor, Diego could only approve.

But as his co-worker and friend, he felt pretty lonely.

The male attorney grabbed his mug and took a sip of his black arabica weakness, all the while reading the sentencing record of his most recent client. "Not guilty", as was his goal. He remembered the look of bewilderment on Winston Payne's weasel face when he showed him the photo, the decisive evidence. The Rookie Killer was, once again, defeated. And Diego would never tire of defeating prosecutors, especially when said prosecutors were major pains in the neck and pathetic excuses of lawyers.

_I'm sure he'll want to be the first prosecutor she deals with, _Diego thought as he signed the document and put it aside, leaning back in his chair comfortably. _And I'm sure she's going to kick his sorry ass. She may be a rookie, but she's got dangerous claws for such a cute kitten. _He grinned to himself as he finished his cup, humming a little at the bitterness.

As soon as he put the white mug down on his desk, the phone rang in Grossberg's office. Diego frowned; was he supposed to walk into his boss' personal office and get the call? Grossberg usually programed his phone so that calls were automatically redirected to his answering machine whenever he was away. Obviously, he had forgotten.

Diego shrugged; this could be personal, for all he knew. Once, he had answered the phone while the older man was chatting with Hammond and... well, having Grossberg's wife tell him that "she had found that cream for his hemorrhoids and boy, he was so lucky he had her, because there was no way he could apply it himself" was way too much information. He wouldn't be fooled again.

Soon, the phone stopped ringing and Marvin Grossberg's squeaky and quite electronically distorted voice spoke. "You've reached the Grossberg's Law Office. I am away working on a case and my employees seem to be lazying around. Leave me a message and I will call you back." Diego frowned; he was going to have a talk with the pudgy lawyer about this.

There was an audible beep, and a soft feminine voice rang into the empty office. "Mr. Grossberg, I am Dr. Hawking, from Sunrise Clinic. Your employee Mia Fey was put under our care as a consequence of an accident that occurred while she was on her way to her workplace. Of course, she won't-"

Diego wrenched the phone from its cradle, screeching to a halt after dashing from his office to Grossberg's as soon as the words "clinic" and "Mia" were said. "Is she all right?" he asked sharply, cutting off the woman.

There was a short pause as the woman composed herself. "Mr. Grossberg?" she asked.

"No, I'm his employee, what happened to Mia?" His heart was using his ribs as drums for the biggest emotional concert Diego ever played.

"She is fine now, sir. She got hit by a car not far from here." Diego's eyes widened; he was about to ask for details, but the doctor got there first. "Fortunately, the car was driving slowly and, as I've said, the accident happened near the clinic and we were able to treat her quickly. She's got a few bruises, a broken wrist and a sprained ankle. It could have been worse."

_Could have been worse? Wait until I get my hands on that bastard of a driver, I'll teach him what "worse" means. _The attorney took a few breaths; he couldn't lash out at the doctor, she had taken care of his kitten after all. "Can I come and visit her?" he asked calmly.

"Actually, since she's not suffering from severe trauma and no surgery was needed, she is free to go on the condition that someone picks her up and brings her home."

"I can do that," Diego said, nodding to himself although the doctor couldn't see it.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I have to ask how you are related to Mr. Fey. As a rule, we only allow patients to leave with family members or close friends, at the very least."

_Well, have fun calling her relatives... Even if she actually had family in town, they would never lend a helping hand..._

Diego thought fast. "I'm her boyfriend, is it enough?"

Okay, maybe just a little bit too fast. _Why did I say that? I could have pretended I was a cousin or something, why did I say "boyfriend"? Well too late to back down now... _

"Yes, sir, I guess there won't be a problem. She's been put in a room one hour ago, I assume you'll be there when you get released from work?"

"I'm coming right now, I happen to have a break until after lunchtime." Another lie. Quite surprising, though, how lies didn't matter where Mia's safety and well-being were concerned. They slithered from his mouth as casually as alligators swam through rivers. "The clinic is only a ten minute walk away, if I'm not mistaken."

"Indeed, you are not. Will you tell Mr. Grossberg that she is not fit to come back to work today? It would be better to leave her a few days off so she can rest, I know that as an attorney she can just stay seated at her desk and do paperwork but still..."

After promising the doctor he would speak to his chief about Mia's accident – he never said when so, technically, it wasn't a lie – Diego hung up. He grabbed his keys from a hook near the door and didn't even bother putting his coat on.

His last rational thought allowed him to lock the door once he was outside, but then, his brain shut off and his blood flow was directed to his heart, still beating furiously, and his legs as he dashed at top speed in the general direction of the clinic, earning himself many a bewildered stare from a group of rookie attorneys who happened to sit on a nearby bench.

"Hey, no need to run, the coffee shop closed ten minutes ago!" a bold one yelled, and his friends giggled.

After all, what could have Diego Armando running so fast, if it wasn't coffee?

* * *

"Ten minute walk" effortlessly turned into a five minute full-blown race. Instinct allowed Diego to take the right turns and he soon found himself in front of the clinic. It was a big white building surrounded by gardens on one side and parking spots on the other.

Diego didn't stop to marvel at the beauty of the flowers that grew around the small path leading up to the main door. He crossed the street without slowing down, barely avoiding getting run over by a blue car, which driver shouted at him furiously, and pushed the door open.

He used the short walk to the reception desk to compose himself and took deep breaths. It wouldn't do to come up to the receptionist panting like a dog in heat. He smoothed his wild hair back and straightened his vest, looking for all the world like he had just taken a walk outside.

He walked up to the desk and smiled. "Good morning, miss," he greeted politely.

The receptionist, a young woman in her twenties, looked up from the computer she was working on. Green eyes peered at him from behind glasses. "Good morning. How can I help you?" Her words were friendly, yet by the sounds of it Diego was under the impression that the girl was annoyed she had to help.

"I came here to fetch someone, her name is Mia Fey." Diego leaned on the desk, wishing the girl would hurry and just tell him where Mia was.

The receptionist resumed typing on her keyboard. "Profession?" she asked.

"Attorney at law." _What does this have to do with anything? _

"Trauma?"

"Broken wrist, sprained ankle and minor bruises, from what I gathered."

"When was she taken here?"

"Earlier this morning," Diego answered, his tone low and dangerous, hinting that if there was another useless question that didn't involve revealing where Mia's room was, there would be murder.

Apparently, the girl could take an hint for she stopped talking; then she frowned. "I have her file right here, sir, but Dr. Hawking never told me she could be released. Are you sure you are allowed to pick her up?"

"I spoke to the doctor on the phone a few minutes ago, I'm quite sure I can take her home," Diego said, a growl present at the back of his throat. What was the matter with that girl? Sure, he had spoken to the doctor only five minutes earlier, but five minutes were more than enough to inform a stupid employee that it was useless for his kitten to remain here?

The receptionist shook her head, strands of blond hair waving back and forth. "I'm sorry, sir, we'll have to wait until Dr. Hawking says that she is free to go."

It was Diego's turn to frown; he was going to apply one of his rules. Approach the target from another angle.

He leaned even more over the desk, his arms crossed on the metallic surface, and gave the young woman his sweetest grin. "Can't we just ignore this?" he purred; if he didn't have an act to keep up, he would be puking in the corner from disgust.

She blinked. "Sir, this is against the rules, I can't-"

"Oh, rules, rules, who are we to play by the rules anyway?" Hesitation settled in her green eyes, and his grin widened, showing more white teeth. "Dr. Hawking will come to you in a matter of seconds, what does it matter if I go ahead and gets her ready to leave? I promise I won't take her away before the doctor comes and tells me I'm allowed to."

Resolve flickered and eventually crumbled under Diego's seductive stare. "Well, I guess it won't do any harm..." she mumbled under her breath.

The male attorney hummed his approval. "Thank you, kitten. Now, if you could tell me which room I'm supposed to find her in, I would be forever grateful."

"R-room 102... What did you call me?"

Before the receptionist could get her hopes on, Diego walked away briskly with a last grin and a wave. He was aware that he could woo almost any member of the female clan, but he usually refrained from doing so, maybe just out of respect. But he was only thinking of Mia, the pain she must have experienced, and the loneliness she must be dealing with at the moment.

Diego ran up a short flight of stairs and jogged down the hall, answering a nurse's disapproving glance with a grin and a polite "ma'am" when he went past her. The number 102 plastered on a door caught his sight, and he skidded to a stop in front of the room.

He cleared his throat and knocked, tucking his trepidation away.

"Come in," a muffled voice answered.

Armando grabbed the handle and opened the door, stepping inside.

His slight grin vanished upon spotting Mia. His pupil was laid out on her back on a white bed, in a white hospital gown. Her right wrist was in a cast, her left foot heavily bandaged, and both appendages looked swollen. There was a nasty bruise on her chin, and another one on her collarbone, disappearing under the gown.

Mia gave him a weak smile. "Hey," she said softly. "How come... you know?"

Diego shook out of his trance and eventually closed the door which handle was still clutched in his hand. "Doctor called," he said quietly, almost afraid to disturb the silence filling the small room. He sat on the edge of the bed, trying his best to keep the mattress from shifting too much. "How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better, I guess," the young woman joked, pain lacing her words. "My mistake, I should have looked twice before crossing the street. Won't happen again."

Diego rolled his eyes, instinctively patting her unharmed hand that sat next to him. "Don't be dumb. I have half a mind to drag the guy in the courtroom and have him imprisoned for attempted murder."

"Well, good luck with that. He drove away before I could get up."

Diego's eyes darkened and he growled. "Do you want me to go and get the police? They'll find him, I'm sure, if I tell them that man attempted to kill you and left you for dead."

"No, it's okay, I'm not dead after all."

"What? You want me to just sit here and do nothing?"

"No... I want you to stop my pillow from slipping away. I'd do it myself but if I bend either arm too much..."

Diego leaned in and gently rearranged the pillow behind her head so it supported her abused neck better. He smiled at her relieved smile, and couldn't help but follow the edge of her cheek with one finger, minding her bruise. Such a lovely face... and such cruel marks. Her creamy skin was not to be marred, not to be touched by anything except the softest of hands.

"I was worried," he whispered, his hand dropping from her face.

Her slight smile disappeared and a soft blush tinted her otherwise pale cheeks. "I'm sorry. And you came all the way from work just to see if I was okay. Thank you, Mr. Armando."

"Now what did I tell you about this whole 'Mr. Armando' business? I'm not calling you Ms. Fey, am I?"

"No, you're calling me a kitten."

"Touché, kitten." He chuckled; her wits had not been harmed. "Actually, I didn't came just to visit you. Your doc told me that you could leave on the condition that someone comes and picks you up, so here I am."

Mia blinked; she hadn't expected that. "You didn't have to, I could have-"

"Left by yourself? Called your relatives? Hired a cab? Come on, kitten, you know me better than that." Diego got up from the bed. "So, do you think you can sit up?"

"I'll try." Mia put her good hand on the bed and pushed herself up, pain flashing across her young features. Diego looped an arm around her to support her back as she shifted so her legs hung over the edge of the bed. Her hand grabbed his forearm to prevent a fall.

"You think you can do this?" Diego smiled when she nodded; ever the strong-willed kitten. "Good. Now, where are your clothes? This hospital gown really doesn't suit you."

Mia looked around a bit, releasing Diego's arm. "In the closet, I think. My skirt and my coat are okay, but I think my top was pretty torn up...

"You'll have to wear your coat until you're home then," the coffee addict said as he opened the closet. Indeed, her black skirt and green coat were neatly folded on a shelf, but her top was nowhere to be seen. He picked the clothes up and turned to her.

Then it struck him; if she could barely sit up, there was no way she could change out of the gown and into her regular clothes by herself. "I, uh, don't think you can do this by yourself," he said as casually as he could.

Mia tilted her head to the side quizzically, but then her eyes fell on her clothing in her mentor's hands and she realized what he meant. "I could ask a nurse for help," she mumbled.

"Err... kitten, I have a confession to make, I'm not supposed to be here." Diego scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "I'm not allowed to take you away until your doctor tells the staff I am. So if you call a nurse and ask her to help you dress because you're leaving... They're gonna throw me out."

"Then... why didn't you wait until you had permission to pick me up?"

There was a heavy silence.

"I don't know, kitten." _I wanted to see you..._

"Oh."

Silence once more. Mia fidgeted with the corner of a spotless sheet while Diego stared numbly at the clothing he was still holding. They were stuck. Unless...

"I can help you."

Mia shot him a dark glare. "Even now you try to pull stunts like this? Please..." She wasn't sure she could deal with his wolfish attitude right now; but if she was completely honest with herself, she had to admit that the idea of a entirely selfless Diego sounded ridiculous. He had to get something out of everything he did.

The other attorney sighed. "I wouldn't look. You'd guide my hands and I'd do the rest. But if you don't trust me enough, it's okay, I'll go and look for Dr. Hawking."

Now, Mia was flabbergasted. She had expected a predatory grin and some kind of false excuse that he probably wouldn't get another chance to see her naked. But not the look of genuine concern on Armando's face.

She sighed; risk or not, who could resist those soft brown eyes? "Come here, then," she gave in, her eyes downcast, feeling as though she was condemned. She heard him walk in front of her and soon his black shoes were in her line of sight. When she heard a rustle of cloth, she looked up to see him unbuttoning his vest. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'll wrap it around my head, so you don't have to worry about me sneaking a peek," Diego answered, getting to the last two buttons.

Mia rolled her eyes and stopped his hand before he could shrug his vest off. "Don't be an idiot. If you tell me that you won't look, I think I trust you enough to know that you'll keep your word." She was trying to atone for thinking he was just making another attempt at seduction earlier.

Diego watched her for some time, before nodding and letting his arms fall to his sides again. Freed from the confinement of the vest, his black tie moved with every gesture he made, standing out along his red shirt.

Armando closed his eyes and held his hands out for Mia to grab. The rookie attorney bit her lip, but it was too late to back out. She took Diego's hands in hers – minding her broken wrist as much as she could – and led them to the hem of her gown. Her friend took a step closer so the nightgown was within comfortable reaching range; she could smell coffee on his breath.

"Hands up where I can see them, girl," Diego growled in a fine imitation of a grumpy detective they had met. It effectively made Mia laugh and lightened the mood considerably.

Diego tugged the gown up and over her head when she lifted her arms as much as she could. His knuckles brushed against her sides and he felt her shudder; he was dying to open his eyes and burn the image into his memory. But he had given his word, and he would never go against his word. That was one of his rules.

Helping her slip her skirt on was pure torture for his hormonal system, but he bore it and obediently buckled the garment in place. It took him a few minutes to figure how he was going to proceed with her coat, but he eventually slipped her arms through the sleeves and left her to button it up.

"Can I look now? I've been a good boy..." he said, faking a whine.

Mia chuckled. "Yes, I'm decent... well as decent as can be, at any rate."

Diego opened his eyes; Mia was still sitting on the edge of the bed, her green coat encompassing her slender frame, her black skirt only peeking out from under the thicker cloth. Her cheeks were a bit flushed, but there was a smile on her face.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Anything for you, kitten."

They exchanged a smile and seemed to realize how close they were to one another. Diego's hands were on the bed on either side of Mia, her legs touching his. If he leaned in, she would be powerless to stop him if he decided to...

There was a single knock on the door before Dr. Hawking walked in, breaking the moment. Diego took his hands from the bed and turned to the door, much to Mia's disappointment, but she willed the feeling away.

Dr. Hawking, a young woman who had to be even shorter than Grossberg, put her hands on her hips. "Some of you don't waste any time, do you?" she said, amusement flashing in her clear blue eyes. Diego had the decency to give her a sheepish smile, and she chuckled. "I guess nothing can stop love, not even our dear receptionist."

"Oh, we're not-" Mia began, only to be startled into silence when Diego's arm came around her shoulder.

"Yes, I couldn't bear to be kept away from her any longer," he said, pressing a soft kiss on her head and whispering in her ear: "Just play along."

"Um... yes, he's very clingy," Mia stammered after some awkward moments, quite distraught but doing her best to hide it. "It's very annoying at times."

"That's just the reason you love me so much," Diego chuckled, before looking at the doctor. "So can I take her home?"

"Absolutely. Give this to the receptionist and she'll let you go." Dr. Hawking deposited a sheet of paper at the end of the bed and smiled at the two lawyers. "I hope you recover quickly, Ms. Fey. Have a good day."

They wished her a good day as well. But as soon as the door was closed, Mia's smile disappeared and she wriggled out from under Diego's arm. "You'd better explain what that was for, and you'd better do it now," she growled, glaring at her co-worker.

"They wouldn't let me pick you up if I wasn't someone you knew well, so I... kinda told them we were together."

Mia's eyes were ready to drop from their resting places within her sockets. "You _lied _to a doctor? I can't believe it!"

_Well, I'd gladly make it true, but you never make anything easy, kitten. You're always... you. _Diego sighed and ran a hand through his untamed brown mane. "All right, so maybe I lied a little bit, big deal. You get to leave this place and go back home, so what is the matter? Want to stay overnight?"

"Well, no, but-"

"I thought as much." Diego reached over and grabbed the sheet of paper Hawking had left for them, stuffing it in his pocket. He then held his right hand out for Mia to take. "Now, please, can we go, _darling?_"

Mia snorted at the term of mock endearment and reluctantly grabbed his hand to pull herself up. When her sprained ankle touched the floor, however, she grunted in pain.

Diego's features softened and he came to stand by her side. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"My foot hurts a bit, I should have expected that," she answered, putting as little weight as was possible on her bad leg, unconsciously leaning against the other attorney for support.

"Here." He wrapped an arm around her waist, and put her good arm around his shoulders. "I'll help you walk, don't strain yourself."

Mia's blush made itself known again but she nodded. The two of them walked slowly across the room and into the corridor, with Mia clutching Diego's shirt for support and him squeezing her waist as much as he could without causing further damage to her abused body. It was awkward and slow, but they made it to the end of the white sterilized corridor. Unfortunately, another foe was waiting for them...

One look at the stairs and Mia groaned. How the hell was she supposed to get down there? She couldn't magically sprout wings!

"This is not going to work," she heard Diego mutter. Before she could ask if there was an elevator in the clinic, the Spaniard bent and caught her behind her knees, carefully lifting her up and into his arms. Mia instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as he adjusted his grip on her.

"What are you doing!" she gasped.

"It'll be easier if I carry you down the stairs, saves you the pain and buys us some time." He made sure he had a firm but gentle hold on her as he began the journey down the stairs.

At first, Mia was tense and her silence was proof of her uneasiness. But when she realized that she probably wouldn't have made it out of her room, let alone climb down stairs, without Diego, she released a soft sigh and relaxed. The tanned attorney almost jumped when she nestled her head in the crook of his neck and tightened her hold around his shoulders.

"Thank you," she whispered against his shirt.

"You seem to thank me an awful lot today, kitten," Armando grinned.

Mia chuckled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Well, you've been awfully nice to me today, only seems fair."

His grin widened. "I ought to be nice more often, it certainly is quite rewarding."

Diego made his way over to the front desk, holding his precious burden close to his chest. He managed to fish the paper from Dr. Hawking out of his pocket without letting go of Mia's legs and handed it to the young woman who, unlike minutes earlier, was giving him and Mia the evil eye.

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

That unforgettable shrill voice, that unmistakable pompous tone.

Groaning inwardly, Diego turned around, only to come face-to-face with a smirking Winston Payne, gravity-defying haircut and all. Out of everyone they could have met, the rookie killer was last on the wish-list, even after Leroy Prince.

"Good morning, Mr. Payne," Mia said politely, and Diego almost rolled his eyes. Even with a broken wrist, a sprained ankle, covered in bruises and carried by her co-worker, Mia had to show she had manners.

But the older prosecutor only adjusted his glasses, a glint of amusement in his sneaky eyes. "Trying to literally sweep the lady off her feet, since you couldn't amount to anything figuratively speaking? You never cease to give me more reasons to think of you as a moronic fool, Armando."

"Well, it can't be worse than failing to achieve either," Diego bit back, though he remained calm and composed.

Payne growled. "At least I am not that desperate that I'd go for my assistant, and won't stop pestering her although she made it clear she wanted nothing to do with me. You're a terrible lawyer, but you do know that is called sexual harassment in our country, don't you?"

Diego opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He couldn't think of anything to say to the prosecutor other than _"Mind your own damn business!" _but it felt hollow. He wasn't desperate, he liked Mia, but he couldn't – and would never – admit it to someone like Payne.

At her mentor's lack of response, Mia decided she had enough of being talked of like she wasn't here, and frowned. "Well, first Mr. Payne, I'll have you know that I'm nobody's assistant. If anything, I am Mr. Grossberg's attorney, but I don't think I studied law so hard to become an assistant. And second..." Mia gently tugged at Diego's black tie with her valid hand, pulling his head closer to hers, "Diego and I are together."

Payne's jaw almost hit the floor and, although she couldn't see, she guessed Diego's must have as well. She was tired of running, tired of lying, and above everything else, tired of Winston Payne.

"You're making this up!" the prosecutor squeaked, pointing a finger at them.

"Oh I am? Diego, sweetheart, this man doesn't look convinced, shall we show him decisive evidence?" The older attorney gave her a puzzled look and she took her chance; she gently pulled his head closer and she leaned up to kiss him.

His arms tightened uncomfortably around her, and she winced into the kiss. He must have somehow noticed because his hold lessened the next second, and she thanked him by stroking the hair on the back of his head. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the kiss; hell, even if it was the only kiss she would get out of him, it felt incredible.

They didn't know how much time elapsed, but it must have been quite a while since the start of the kiss because when they parted, Payne was nowhere to be seen. This man was allergic to affection, and he had nightmares about public shows of love.

Mia's legs felt like jelly and she was glad they weren't supporting her, for she wasn't sure they could be trusted at the moment. She glanced up at Diego, whose eyes seemed to be lost into space. Guilt nipped at her heart; had she gone overboard?

"Well... that sure got us rid of him," Diego commented after a few awkward seconds. "Good thinking, kitten. You have amazing acting skills."

"Oh... I guess I do..." Mia bit her lip; she couldn't stop here. "I mean, I would, if I was actually acting but... since I wasn't... I'm not sure this is what could be said..."

"What do you mean, kitten?" Diego asked, his ears and curiosity perking up. _She can't possibly be saying this... Armando, wake up now before you do yourself more emotional harm! _

Mia was finding the buttons on his vest very interesting; in fact, she couldn't take her eyes away from them. "I mean that... if you're okay with it, of course... I wouldn't be against the idea of... please you know what I mean, don't make me say it!" She buried her head in his chest to hide her face, which was quickly turning the same shade of red as his shirt.

The rookie attorney didn't look up; dealing with rejection would be easier if she couldn't see his face. When a chuckle shook his chest, right against her cheek, she ground her teeth.

"I don't think I've ever heard of such unusual circumstances for a first kiss."

Startled, Mia looked up and saw a handsome face smiling down at her. She offered a weak smile of her own. "I always thought I would be the one kissing you first. You do realize you screwed everything up, right?"

Mia's smile broadened. "Let's pretend this never happened."

"I expected no less, kitten." Diego leaned in and caught her lips for a soft kiss, and she enthusiastically kissed back, stroking his cheek with her good hand.

She gave a small yelp when he almost dropped her, and giggled when he rightened his hold on her. "Maybe we should head home first," she said.

"Agreed."

Diego carried her outside, pushing the door with his back before turning around. They stood there, bathed in sunlight, on this bright perfect day. Not a care in the world other than the woman in his arms, and the worry that her head's comforting weight might remove itself from his shoulder. He breathed in; being alive had never been so wonderful.

A small kiss under his chin brought him back on Earth. "Where did you park your car?" she asked him with a smile.

_Ha...! Forgot about that. _"I left it at the office."

"What? You walked all the way here?"

"I admit I never thought about the car... But it doesn't matter, I'll carry you to the office and then we'll take my car and drive you home." His charming smile wasn't something you could say "no" to, and when she told him she was too heavy, he scoffed. "Never doubt my abilities, kitten."

So Mia could only tag along for the ride. She wasn't complaining; Diego's chest was quite comfortable, and the general scent of coffee about him soothed her. It was the same as before, but it held a newfound sweetness for Mia. The same could be said about Diego's character in general; he had gone from arrogant womanizer to caring friend as soon as he had learned she was hurt. Amazing, how it had only taken him half a day to change so much...

"So... does that mean I'm allowed to keep my eyes open next time I help you change?"

… or not.


	4. 4: Misery

**Warning:** spoilers for Trials and Tribulations' ending. Heavy sadness.

**#4 – Misery**

The judge's gavel was brought down, thus validating his final verdict and adjourning court.

This was it. Everything was over. Justice had prevailed, once again, but the price to pay...

Phoenix Wright stared at the empty mug in his hand. And to think the same item had been flung at his head mere moments earlier...

He had lied. He didn't like coffee, and had certainly not enjoyed Godot's #102 blend.

_Armando, _he reminded himself as he raised his eyes to watch Misty Fey's killer. _Diego Armando. What has the world done to you? _

The white-haired man had his hands on the wooden surface in front of him and, although Phoenix couldn't see his eyes behind the visor, seemed to be staring at something on the floor. As if sensing the young attorney's eyes on him, the prosecutor looked up and offered a smile. The weakest, most exhausted smile Phoenix had ever witnessed on a face, and that frightened him.

_A lawyer always smiles, no matter how bad it gets. _

Well, it certainly couldn't get worse for Armando. At best, he would spend the rest of his life in jail. At worse...

He was crying again. Thick blood was rolling down Armando's cheeks, soiling his white tie and gathering on his hands. The man was crying and smiling at the same time. Phoenix was at a loss.

_A lawyer doesn't cry until it's all over. _

Armando was applying his two favorite rules at once, which was quite a disturbing sight.

People were exiting the room, excited loud voices echoing in Phoenix's mind. They were happy the young attorney had once again proved his worth. They were amazed at this new turnabout. They were glad the murderer would get what he deserved.

Phoenix wasn't.

Armando was moving; the tall man walked to the door, his fingers following the wooden guardrail on his right. Upon reaching the great mahogany door, the former attorney turned around and gave the courtroom a last look. Wordless farewell. He'd probably come back for his sentencing, if there even was a trial, but would only watch as others played with the rest of his life from the defendant box.

Unless...

Phoenix dumped his files in his backpack and hurried out of the courtroom, hoping to catch Godot before the police got their hands on him. If only he could defend him, he would do anything in his power to get the judge to be a bit more lenient. Hell, he would even claim Armando had been driven to madness by too much coffee, as far as he was concerned!

Luckily, he spotted the tanned man in the defendant lobby. Armando was walking with his head held high, as per usual, and his shoulders straight. His hands were shoved deep inside his pockets, looking for all the world like he was going for a walk outside, and not facing life imprisonment or death.

Phoenix opened his mouth to call out to him, but before any sound could spill out, Diego's legs betrayed him and he teetered to the side, hitting the wall with his right shoulder. He looked like he was about to collapse on the spot.

"Mr. Armando!" Wright cried out as he ran to the older man's side. "Are you all right?"

"Ha...! I have not been all right for years... I never expected this run-down body to hold on this long, either..." The smile never left his face.

Phoenix wriggled his way under Godot's arm to support some of his weight; to his utmost surprise, the man was even lighter than Maya. When Wright felt ribs poke his side through his blue suit, he remembered. Coma. Five years.

"We need to get you to a hospital, you need medical attention! Your wound-"

"Oh, save it, Trite," Diego laughed. "Whether I die here, at the hospital or in jail really doesn't make any difference."

This reminded Phoenix of the reason he had run after the prosecutor. "I can help you. I can be your lawyer, I'm sure I can convince the judge to be on my side."

This time, the smile vanished from Diego's face. His jaw settled and he steeled himself.

He became Godot once again.

He snatched his arm away from Phoenix and stumbled forward. "I don't need your help," he growled under his breath.

Phoenix wasn't sure if he was talking about the trial, his wound, or both. "Please, at least think about it," the attorney pleaded.

"Oh I'll think about it all right, as soon as I reach the other world." Diego untied his blood-dotted tie and loosened the collar of his shirt, clearly uncomfortable. Was that sweat on his neck? Phoenix prayed it wasn't.

The door burst open and Gumshoe walked in, followed by two policemen and two paramedics.

"Five men, just for me? Now I feel special," Armando smirked as the men walked up to him. He nodded to Phoenix. "I suppose this is farewell, Mr. Wright. I suggest you go find your friends and share a good cup of dark sweetness over this victory. I'm afraid I won't be able to attend, so drink another cup in my name, but be assured that my thoughts are with you."

And the fallen attorney walked off to meet his fate with yet another smile, leaving Phoenix standing there with his jaw open.

He had no clue what he was supposed to say; "have a nice day" would be downright cruel, and "farewell" wasn't even an option. This was not farewell, it couldn't be, as long as Phoenix had a say in the matter.

"Sorry pal, I wish I didn't have to do this, but y'know... orders and all," Wright heard Gumshoe say, and the detective's voice was laced with sadness. Although Godot had given him a rough time, the scruffy man had respected the prosecutor a lot, admired him even. And even if it was just proved the man was a murderer, it was taking a lot out of Gumshoe's big heart to arrest him. "We're gonna take you to the hospital and keep watch over you so you don't try to... escape, or anythin'."

Godot smiled again. Phoenix thought he was going to point out that if he really wanted to escape, he wouldn't have waited for them to show up in the defendant lobby. And he would certainly have succeeded, since they had taken their sweet time. He could even have poured himself an espresso.

"You know, detective," the ex-attorney began, and Phoenix saw Gumshoe readying himself for yet another blow to his ego, "I've never completely appreciated your abilities. Up until now, that is."

And Diego Armando collapsed forward, right into Gumshoe's arms.

"Mr. Godot!" the detective gasped, barely catching the white-haired man before he hit the ground.

There was no response as Armando hung limply, small droplets of blood hitting the floor next to Gumshoe's feet. His visor fell off his face when Gumshoe shook him a little, and clattered on the previously spotless white tiles; Phoenix's stomach churched. Godot's face was a mess of blood, tears and sweat, stretching from forehead to chin. The visor had acted as a floodgate, and now that it was gone, blood was running freely down the tanned face from a gruesome wound under his eyes and over his nose.

Phoenix knew that sight would be burned into his memory forever.

"Mr. Godot, can you hear me?" Gumshoe tried, to no avail. "Dang it, unconscious! You!" he roared at a policeman next to him. "Pick up the mask. You, call the hospital, and you two get the ambulance ready! There's no time to lose!"

"But sir, weren't we supposed to-"

"I said: there's no time to lose! Do as I say or I swear you're never ever putting that uniform on again!" Gumshoe's booming voice made even the thick walls of the lobby shake, and the four man scrambled away to do what they were ordered to. Phoenix had never seen Gumshoe so pissed; and it didn't even involve his salary.

The muscular detective effortlessly picked Armando up, as if the man weighed nothing – the man actually _didn't _weigh anything, Phoenix himself would have been able to carry him – and he jogged to the door, followed by the policeman who was carrying Godot's mask.

Phoenix snapped out of his trance and shook his head to clear it of the morbid sight he had witnessed. He made to follow Gumshoe out of the room but someone grabbed his arm and tugged him back.

To his surprise, his eyes fell on Miles Edgeworth. The young prosecutor was frowning, as per usual, but there was a different glint in his usually cold dark eyes. Was it pity? Compassion? Or an illusion?

"Leave him be, Wright," he said calmly, his hand still holding Phoenix's forearm and preventing him from running after Gumshoe. "There's nothing you can do."

"It can't end like this! He was protecting Maya, he thought it was right! He doesn't deserve this, he's-"

"A murderer, Wright. And if we set free every murderer who thought they were doing the right thing, our prisons would be empty." Edgeworth let go of his arm and gave it a pat. "You have to let this go. It's all over now, Armando said it himself."

_It's all over now... The way everything ended... Was justice really served? _Phoenix ran a hand through his spiky hair with a sigh of defeat. _The man who risked his like to save Maya is being sent to prison by my own hand... _

"Of course justice was served."

The new voice startled the two men who whirled around. Enclosed in Maya's small clothes, Mia – or rather, Mia's spirit – was smiling at them, her arms crossed.

"M-Mia!" Phoenix stammered. Even though he had somewhat gotten used to his dead mentor coming back once in a while, he couldn't quite get over the initial shock. And from the looks of it, neither could Edgeworth.

Mia's eyes were soft. "... I'm proud of you, Phoenix," she said. "Your defense was... truly brilliant."

Phoenix did a double take; wasn't she supposed to be mad at him for sending Godot to prison? "B-But I couldn't save Mr. Armando! The man who cared so deeply for you..."

Mia's features hardened and she frowned; he knew that look well. It usually meant he was missing an important detail and she was annoyed at him. "You're wrong, Phoenix. You did save Diego." Her eyes fell to the ground and sadness filled her eyes. "You saved him in the only way possible."

"You mean... with that verdict?"

Mia didn't answer right away. She kept her focus on the ground for a few seconds, as if debating over something. But when she looked up, she was smiling again. "I think one day, you'll understand too. Phoenix, I want you to remember one thing..."

Wright was all ears; he almost expected another Godot-style rule, about never giving up until the truth is out, or something like that.

"You were as good out there as any defense lawyer could ever hope to be." When Phoenix's haw dropped, Mia smiled even more. "There's nothing more you can learn from me."

The young attorney blinked. Surely, she wasn't implying... "M-Mia...!" he gasped.

"You've accomplished something I wasn't able to," she added before he could protest. "I owe you a great deal... thank you."

Phoenix felt a tug at his heart; this was it, then. She wouldn't come back. She would be dead for real. It hurt him even more than when he had found her body in the office. "Mia..." he begged. He knew he sounded pathetic, but he couldn't help it.

"I'm sure we'll meet again... someday... Phoenix."

And with those final words, Mia's spirit left Maya's body, maybe for the last time.

Edgeworth caught the young medium before she hit the ground.

Phoenix was numb; he was dimly aware of Edgeworth speaking to him, and other people gathering around them. He recognized a voice, or two, but he didn't give a damn. Mia might have said that he had been "brilliant", this had been his worst case.

He may have won, but he felt as though he had lost.

_Well, Mr. Armando. I don't know if everything is really over or not, but I don't care. _

And Phoenix Wright cried.

* * *

The next two days were spent filling out and signing paperwork, mostly court records.

Phoenix was sitting at his desk, reading. Maya and Pearl were overly silent. Things hadn't quite been the same since Armando... well since that trial. The two girls had spent their waking time watching TV or, God forbid, crying.

Phoenix didn't know what to do when they cried. He just sat on the couch with one arm around each girl, their heads on his shoulders as his blue suit was soaked by tears. At those times, he felt useless.

The attorney sighed and put his pen down to run both hands through his black hair. He _was _useless. There was nothing he could do to ease their suffering. His eyes fell on the newspaper he had bought in the morning and was stuck under his elbow.

_**Diego Armando: the lawyer who killed**_

_Prosecutor Godot, a brilliant lawyer whose past and origins were unknown,_

_was revealed to actually be Diego Armando, 34 year old ex-attorney at the_

_Grossberg Law Office, poisoned in 2012 by a young woman named Dahlia Hawthorne._

_Thus, Armando disappeared from the face of the world for five years, laying on a_

_hospital bed in comatose state. But his comeback was just as surprising; as his way_

_to celebrate his return to the living world, Armando killed in cold blood Misty Fey-_

Phoenix frowned and pushed the article away. Trust journalists to leave out important details such as Maya's rescue. He was about to crumple the paper and throw it in the trashcan when the last line caught his eye.

-_staying at Sunrise Clinic until his trial is held. _

Phoenix stared at the paper. There was something he could do.

"Maya, Pearl, grab your coats," the attorney spoke gently so he wouldn't startle them. "There's someone we need to see."

* * *

"I'm sorry, pal, but you can't go in there."

Gumshoe really looked like he was sorry, but his huge frame wouldn't budge. Phoenix could barely see the number 404 on the door above the detective's shoulder.

"Please, Mr. Scruffy!" Pearl pleaded, grabbing the man's sleeve. "We want to see Mr. Diego, he needs someone to talk to!"

"I can't let you do that, little pal. Only doctors are allowed in there."

"Mr. Armando is my client, I'll be his attorney for the upcoming trial," Phoenix blurted out. Lying to Gumshoe felt... cheap. "I need to speak to him."

Gumshoe scratched the back of his head. His resolve was obviously wavering. "He's kinda tired, I don't think you'll get him to talk much. Are you sure you want to see him?"

"Yes, we are!" the trio shouted, attracting surprised glances from nurses and doctors in the busy corridor. But Phoenix was past caring.

"Okay, _okay, _no need to shout!" Gumshoe looked around suspiciously, as if one of his superiors was going to pop out from behind a stretcher and scold him. "Look, you can talk to him but don't be too long, all right?" When they nodded, Gumshoe checked the corridor one last time and opened the door for them.

Soft beeping sounds greeted them as they walked in. The room was white, bare and smelt like they had washed the floor with antiseptic. The only window was open, white curtain swaying with the slight breeze.

Diego Armando was spread out on the bed, on his back, white sheet drawn up to his waist. Gone were his regular clothes, replaced by a standard white hospital garb. His left hand was resting on his stomach, while his right arm was lying next to his body, two intravenous tubes disappearing into his exposed forearm. Small healed scars ran along his arm, testimony of five years spent living off plastic pouches to survive. His eyes were closed and his white hair spread out on his pillow; he looked peaceful. Too peaceful in fact...

Phoenix walked closer, Maya and Pearl in tow. The clean wound was forming a red line, standing out on Diego's tanned skin like a wolf among sheep; it apparently hadn't needed any stitching. Messy stubble indicated that he hadn't had a chance to shave for the past two days. His mouth was closed; and his stillness disturbing...

"He's not dead if that's what you're thinking."

Phoenix whirled around at the voice, and the two girls gasped. They had been so focused on Diego they hadn't even seen the two policemen sitting next to the door. They were both young men, and they didn't look like they were happy to watch over the wounded prosecutor/attorney.

"See that?" the policeman spoke again, pointing a finger at the heart monitor above Diego's bed. "Heart's still beating. Beep. Beep. Beep. He's not dead... yet."

Wright frowned; that last remark didn't settle well with him. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked quietly so he wouldn't wake Diego.

"Doctors said he doesn't have much time left. I wish he would hurry up and just die already."

Pearl gasped, clinging to Maya's coat. She had never heard someone say such a cruel thing, and the fact that it was directed at Diego was even worse.

When Phoenix saw Pearl's eyes tear up, he growled and shot the two younger men a nasty look. "Listen, I don't know who you think you are, but I won't let you speak about Mr. Armando like that."

"Oh, stuff it, that guy's a murderer and he's gonna be executed as soon as he gets out of here. Serves the bastard right for messing around with us while playing prosecutor."

Now Phoenix remembered where he had seen the two cops; they had worked under Godot, and it was common knowledge that Godot wasn't a nice boss. But still, wishing he was dead... "You don't have the whole story," the young attorney hissed.

"They don't need the whole story."

The voice was so weak Phoenix thought for a moment that he had dreamed it. But Diego's faded white eyes were looking up at the ceiling; he was awake.

"Mr. Diego!" Pearl exclaimed as she dashed forward, grabbing the older man's left hand between hers. "You're awake!"

Diego smiled weakly, but otherwise didn't move. "Well, look what the cat dragged in..." he rasped out, his thumb stroking Pearl's little hands. "Pearl, Wright... am I to assume Maya is with you as well?"

"Yeah." Maya walked on the other side of the bed and lightly touched his right forearm, a small smile on her lips. "I'm here too."

"Ha...! I'm afraid I'm in no shape to have a proper conversation but... with a cup of coffee..."

"Right here, old man." One of the cops got up from his chair, snatching the steaming mug that was sitting on table in front of him. He walked up to the bed and deposited the mug on the nightstand. "Here you go, don't burn yourself though, it's hot."

Phoenix thought it was a kind gesture, coming from someone who wanted Diego dead, and he didn't understand the malevolent glint in the young man's eyes as Armando reached for the cup. It soon became clear what the policeman was up to; as Diego's hand was about to close around the cup, he pulled it a bit further, thus making the ex-attorney miss his target. "Crap, just a bit further." When Diego tried again, the cop pulled the cup away once more, now giggling. "C'mon, man, you're nearly there! Just-"

"_Stop that!_" Maya shouted, and everyone froze. Phoenix couldn't remember Maya ever being so loud, even that one time when the Steel Samurai lost. "You have no right to be that cruel! Get out of here!"

The policeman frowned. "You can't tell me what to-"

"_Get out!" _

"What's all that shouting for, pal?" Gumshoe grunted as he walked in. "This is a hospital, you can't just..." His booming voice trailed off as he took in what was happening; the cop holding the cup of coffee out of Diego's reach, the latter's arm outstretched, and Maya looking like she was on the verge of tears.

Even a mind as simple as Gumshoe's could put two and two together.

"Johnson! Marti!" the detective yelled. "I warned you what would happen if either of you pulled any kind of stunt on Mr. Armando again! Get the hell outta here!"

The cop holding the cup – Johnson, or Marti, Phoenix didn't care – turned pale. "B-But chief, I wasn't-"

"Listen, I won't chew you out because there's a kid in the room, so don't make me kick you out of here! And that's an order!" Gumshoe waited until the bullies were out before he gave Phoenix an apologetic look. "Sorry, pal. I never thought they'd do things like this to Mr. Armando. After I'm through with them, I'll watch over him myself."

Phoenix politely thanked Gumshoe and the detective closed the door. The room was silent once again.

Diego's hand groped around until he found the edge of the nightstand. With a pain-filled grunt and probably half the strength he had left, the wounded man pulled himself in a sitting position, allowing Maya to help him. Once they were sure he wasn't going to fall back down, Pearl snatched the mug of coffee and gently pushed it into his hands.

"Thanks," Diego muttered as he fumbled around for the handle.

Phoenix felt like his heart was being crushed; Armando wasn't meant to look this weak, this vulnerable. He ought to be free, not dead nor dying. This reminded Phoenix of the reason why he had come here...

"The answer's still no," Diego said once his mug was empty.

_Damn. He can read minds, too. _"How did you know?"

"What else would you come for? Just to see me? Ha...! I'm sick, you know, not stupid."

"Well... Maya and Pearl wanted to see you," Phoenix said, and that was the truth.

Pearl nodded eagerly. "Yes, Mr. Diego! Ever since Mr. Nick told us you weren't feeling well after the trial, we were worried!" She grabbed his hand as soon as he set the mug aside. "Are you feeling all better now?"

"I... have seen better days." Diego stayed silent for a while, and a weak smile stretched his lips. "Will you do me a favor, little kitten?"

Pearl's eyes lit up. "Anything, Mr. Diego!" she said, always eager to be useful.

"Could you please find Scruffy and ask for another cup of coffee? I'm feeling thirsty..."

"I won't be long!" Pearl promised as she ran out of the room.

As soon as the door closed behind the young girl, Diego's smile vanished. He frowned, which put pressure on his wound and twisted it a little.

"I don't want you as my lawyer," he said calmly.

Phoenix sighed and sat on the spot Pearl had vacated, on the edge of the bed. It wasn't going to be easy. "I know the whole story, it'll be easier if you let me defend you. I could lighten your sentence."

"Oh, I'm sure you would. That's exactly why I don't want you as my lawyer. That... and I already have an attorney in mind."

Phoenix had to fight not to gag. _What the... How the hell did he contact someone? He has been stuck here for two days! And more importantly... _"Who?"

Diego grinned a pale excuse of his trademark grin. "Well, I think it wouldn't be too foolhardy of me to assume that you're staring at him right now."

There was a heavy pause as the words sank in.

Heavy, but short-lived.

"Are you kidding? You can't be your own attorney! They'll never let you do that!" Phoenix said. Maya was too shocked to answer.

Diego frowned. "They won't, says you? Do I need to remind you that I became a prosecutor even though I refused to give any more information than a first name, and a fake one at that? Have you forgotten already that they allowed a feverish, crazy, coffee-addicted dying man to take drastic decisions concerning people's lives?" Armando stopped before he got carried away, and sighed. "Everything that happens in that courtroom is messed up. I'm just... turning it to my advantage."

There was another uncomfortable silence, and Maya was the one to break it. "Did you say... dying?" she asked, her voice hardly more than a meek whisper.

Diego nodded. "I may have woken up from that coma, but the poison never completely left me. My hair turned white, true, and I went blind, but that's only what you can see. My entire body was damaged." He went silent, but at Maya's hand on his forearm, he spoke again. "My immune system went crazy trying to get rid of the poison; I don't think I spent a single week without some fever-inducing infection settling in somewhere. My stomach wasn't spared; once or twice a week, I throw up blood in alarming quantities. Well, alarming if your name isn't Diego Armando." His humorless grin was heartbreaking. "I have to rely on at least four different drugs to stand, and about seven to go through a trial. Of course, the coffee helped, but only if consumed in large amounts. Nonetheless... I could have put up with it."

Phoenix's eyes rose from their downcast position, and he waited patiently for Diego's next words.

"I could have put up with it... if I had something to wake up for in the morning. After I woke up from my coma, and learned that Mia was dead, I asked the doctors to send me back to sleep. I was so weak, I felt empty and hollow. But when the doctor brought me that newspaper, and I saw that article about you, Wright... I found a purpose again. I decided you were the one to blame for Mia's death and I swore I would get my revenge; a foolish thought, now that I think of it, but it gave me strength. I had a goal. And now... I don't know why I wake up in the morning; I don't know why I'm alive, when the only woman I would give my life for is waiting for me in the other world."

It looked like sadness had been melted and molded into the two glassy orbs that were in the middle of Armando's face. But while his eyes held more pain than a human being could afford to feel, there was a fleeting, almost apologetic smile on his mouth, begging the young attorney and his assistant to understand.

To Phoenix, the older man was the perfect picture of misery, in its basic, purest form.

Maya awkwardly shifted her weight on her legs. "You... really loved my sister, didn't you?" she asked, biting her lip.

Diego's smile got even more bitter. "And I still love her more than words can describe."

This seemed to be Maya's undoing. She flung her arms around the tanned man's neck and violently buried her face into his chest, startling him and almost making him fall backward. Hard sobs shook her small frame as she cried into Diego's white shirt, clutching the fabric at his back.

"P-Please don't d-die," the young spirit medium begged in-between sobs. "Y-You can fight! And Nick c-can save you! He c-can save anyone!"

Diego gently patted her head. "He already saved me."

Maya only cried harder. Phoenix was still having a hard time trying to figure out why she was so protective of Armando, even after the man killed her mother. Then he understood; Maya had lost her sister, her aunt, her mother, a member of her family she didn't even know before the trial had been sent to prison... and now she was losing Diego, her protector and Mia's lover. She had forgiven him... and she was about to lose him.

"Don't cry, little kitten, it's not over yet," he said softly. "Here." His left hand came up to his ear and, after some fumbling, he managed to take his earrings off. "Take those. So you have something to remember me by." He found Maya's hand and pushed the two small silver loops into her palm. "I don't need them where I'm going. You can give one to Pearl."

His smile was strained; he had given up on fighting and was embracing his fate.

Maya closed her fist around the earrings and brought them over her heart, nodding. She was fighting back another stream of tears, and losing. Unable to stop herself, she hugged Diego once again and cried into his shoulder, not out of denial but because she realized she was never going to get another occasion to hold him.

"Here you go, Mr. Diego! Mr. Scruffy said it is exactly the way you like your coffee, strong and... Mystic Maya?" Pearl stopped in her tracks, steaming mug in hand, at the sight of her cousin and Armando. Mystic Maya was always strong, she had never seen her shed a single tear. And here she was now, crying so openly and hugging Mr. Diego. Little Pearl bit her lip; something was terribly wrong. "W-What is going on?" she asked, fearing the answer but unable to keep quiet.

Diego turned his head in the general direction Pearl's voice had come from and smiled softly. "You know, little kitten, I'll miss you when I'm gone. You always made me smile."

Pearl trembled and she almost dropped the mug of coffee. "Gone"? He was leaving? No! They had just gotten him back! Pearl couldn't remember, of course, but she had seen numerous pictures of that tall handsome man with Mystic Mia, and even a some pictures where he was playing with herself and a much younger Mystic Maya. The man who always laughed. The man who always made Mystic Mia laugh. The man whose name had been impossible to decipher in her early years, and that she had thus dubbed...

"Godo!" Pearl cried, tears prickling at her eyes. "I... you are Godo!"

Phoenix frowned. "Pearls, what are you talking about? You know as well as I that it's not his real name, he-"

"Hush," Armando said with a fond smile. "She remembers."

Memories flooded Pearl's mind; being carried under the rain, the familiar scent of coffee, a beard tickling her forehead, a roaring laugh. Before she knew what she was doing, she put the mug down on the floor and ran at Diego, climbing on the bed and hugging him for all she was worth, big salty tears rolling down her face.

"Don't cry over me, kittens, you were born to smile," the wounded man said, stroking both Pearl's and Maya's hair. He looked up, and Phoenix had a feeling his next words would be directed at him. He wasn't mistaken. "Take care of them, Wright. Whatever you do, never hurt them the way I did."

Phoenix gulped. "I-I'll do my best," he promised nervously.

"You are a fine attorney, Wright, maybe one of the best I have ever seen. But... I expected no less from my lovely kitten's pupil." Diego smirked. "You've got her claws. Use them wisely... Phoenix."

* * *

Gumshoe had soon asked them to go. His chief was soon going to come and ask Armando a few questions, and it was best if they didn't see this. So, with a promise that they would drop by again, they parted from Diego.

Phoenix was leading the two girls through the clinic's busy corridors. Pearl was clutching at his suit with her left hand, squeezing Diego's earring in her tiny right fist, looking down at the floor. Maya was doing her best to keep up, but her mind was elsewhere. They promised they would visit him again... but there was no telling when he would pass away. She wanted to do something special for him, but this might be her only chance...

When Phoenix stopped to look around, she made up her mind.

"I... I forgot my magatama in Mr. Armando's room," she mumbled. "Could you two... wait for me? I'll go back and get it, I won't be long."

Phoenix turned to her and frowned a little, but eventually nodded. "We'll wait for you downstairs." He watched as Maya nodded and turned around, disappearing in the moving mass of medical staff. Silly girl. She thought she could fool him, but she had too much on her mind.

She even forgot her magatama was around her neck, in plain sight.

Maya made her way through the corridor until she reached Diego's room, a plan forming itself in her head. She wasn't sure she wasn't going to cause more harm than good but she had to do it.

Gumshoe was still guarding the door; she gave him the same excuse she had given Phoenix, and the man let her through, albeit not without voicing his concern first. Maya hurriedly walked in before she changed her mind, closing the door quickly and leaning her back against it, staring at the floor.

Diego's ears twitched at the sound of his door slamming close. Were the detectives here already? He thought he had time to take a nap... "Hello," he said quietly. No use being rude. When he heard the lock slide into place, however, he frowned. "You know, you ought to lock the window instead, a five story dive sounds kinda good to me."

"I'd like to see you try, Diego."

The white-haired man's eyes widened to an extend he thought was impossible until now. That voice... It couldn't be. "Mia..." he rasped out, painfully pushing his body into a sitting position. "How..."

"I thought I told Maya not to call again but... she can be so stubborn." Mia sat on the edge of the bed, taking Diego's hand in hers.

Oh, that was right. Kurain Channeling Technique. For a fleeting, ridiculous second, Diego had hoped that, maybe...

"You look like crap."

At this, Diego chuckled bitterly. No beating around the bush with his kitten. "Well, I guess I had no reason to take care of myself," he said, tightening his fingers around hers. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Mia brought Diego's hand to her lips to kiss its tanned back.

He smiled. A few seconds unrolled without either of them saying anything, and yet their silence spoke volumes. Joy. Forgiveness. Love. They didn't need words.

"Soon, we will be reunited. For real."

This made Mia's frown. "What do you mean?" She didn't like how it sounded.

Diego's lopsided smirk held no playfulness. "My body is getting weaker and weaker each day. I can't walk without downing less than five pills. Soon, it's going to get worse. I won't be able to sit. Won't be able to talk. Won't be able to breathe. I don't want this." His hand squeezed hers gently. "I won't accept these conditions to stay in a world where I'm not even able to see your face anymore."

Mia was frozen, at a loss for words. He was... giving up? He, who had always told her everything was possible, as long as she fought? She slipped her hand from his and his smile dissipated. "Please tell me you are joking," she said.

Diego sighed, his eyes and shoulders dropping. "There's nothing left for me here. I've done terrible things here, kitten. Your mother, I..."

"I know," Mia interrupted him, not wishing to have that particular memory brought up. "I... Phoenix told me." She thought it was best if she left out that she had been in the courtroom at the end of the trial. She didn't know how Diego would feel if he knew that she had seen him break down.

Diego nodded absentmindedly. "As soon as I get out of here, I will be sentenced to death. I deserve no less. And they'll be doing me a favor, too, since my body won't last much longer. Doctors said I have a year left, maybe two."

"Doctors also said you would never wake up."

"This time they can't be wrong, my body is deteriorating way too quickly."

"Well, maybe they... _Damn it Diego, look at me!_" she hissed when the man's eyes dropped once more to his white sheets. "You're not supposed to look this weak, you have to fight! The man I fell in love with never ran away from his problems, so _look at me!_"

"Weren't you listening?" Diego's eyes rose and Mia got a good look at them; instead of deep brown, they were pale and faded. Unfocused. "In this world, I'm not even _able _to see your face."

Mia's eyes widened; she had no idea Diego had gone blind. Sure, she had noticed the visor in the courtroom, but she had decided it was a mask that was meant to hide his face.

"I'm trying to cope with the fact that after seven long years, the woman I've always loved is finally in front of me again, and I can't even see her face. I'm sorry if I look the least bit defeated." Diego's face scrunched up as he snarled the last part, jostling his wound.

He hadn't raised his voice, but his words felt like a slap to Mia.

"Diego..." On impulse, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged his head to her chest, burying her face into his soft white hair. She didn't care if he couldn't see, or if he was dying; he still smelt the same.

His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb stroking her skin. "Don't tell me you are going to cry too, kitten."

"I'm not crying," Mia said weakly, though moisture was quickly gathering in her eyes.

"Good. I'm not sure my heart could stand it." His arms came around her waist and they hugged one another, Diego's cheek against Mia's chest, and her chin on top of his head. "I love you. I never stopped."

"Neither did I." Mia smiled a bit through her unshed tears and pulled away a little to lay a kiss on Diego's forehead. "I'll be waiting for you."

The older man grinned and snuggled up to her chest; he nearly jumped out of his tanned skin when there was a loud bang, followed by angry voices. Apparently, Gumshoe's chief had arrived and found the locked door; and didn't sound happy about it.

"They're here for me," Diego mumbled, squeezing Mia's waist softly before releasing her. "You should go. Nobody is supposed to be in here."

"I've waited seven years for this. They can wait a few minutes."

Mia leaned in and captured Diego's lips for a passionate kiss, holding his stubbly cheeks between her hands. Pleasantly surprised, the male ex-attorney kissed back, looping his arms around her slender waist as her hands fell to his shoulders. He poured every feeling he ever had for her in that kiss, seven years of wasted time coming undone in that hospital room.

Someone was pounding on the door. Neither cared, lost as they were in one another.

Mia pulled away after a while, leaning her forehead against Diego's as she caught her breath. "I'd gladly stay some more," she said softly. "But I know where we usually go from here. And this is my sister's body we're talking about."

Diego chuckled and gave her lips a tender peck, nuzzling his nose into hers the way he used to. "We'll have plenty of time for that later. Wright and Pearl must be waiting for Maya. Come on," he said, giving her a short kiss. "Off you go."

Squeezing his hands for the last time, Mia walked to the door and leaned her back against the wall. As soon as she slid the lock out of its resting place, the door burst open, effectively shielding her from sight. Two set of footsteps made their way into the room, one heavy – probably Gumshoe – and the other one lighter.

"What the hell, pal? You can't lock yourself in your room like that!"

Mia heard Diego snort. "I can't take a piss by myself, but I somehow managed to unlock the door and come back to bed before you two could come in? Didn't know I had that kind of power."

"Armando, you're in no position to back talk. I'll have you know that you're up to your neck in trouble, boy. We're here to see what we can do." That irritating voice must be the chief's.

"Of course, but before we start, there is something I would like to ask."

Mia carefully slipped out from behind the door; luckily, the two detectives had their backs to her, so she was able to sneak out of the room undetected, though not after a last look at the love of her life. Diego was grinning at the policemen, that famous grin of his that had her legs turn to jelly when they were younger, and she wished she could hold him again.

_Later,_ she promised herself. _Later, he'll join me, so we can watch over Maya, Pearl and Phoenix together. _And she fled.

"So, detective... how do you like your coffee?"

* * *

Maya found Phoenix and Pearl near the main door. The attorney was holding the little girl's hand and he visibly relaxed when his eyes fell on his assistant.

"What took you so long?" he asked when Maya came to stand in front of him.

She shrugged. "I... said goodbye. Properly."

Phoenix stared at her, but when it became obvious she wasn't going to add anything, he sighed and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. "Let's go home."

Maya nodded and let the attorney lead her away. She had regained control over her body in the middle of the corridor after Mia's spirit left, and Diego's door had been closed. She had no idea whether her plan had worked or not.

But if the heavy taste of coffee in her mouth was any indication, everything had gone smoothly.


	5. 5: Under the Rain

**#5 – Under the Rain**

"I don't think this is gonna let up anytime soon."

Mia looked up at the dark skies and could only agree with Diego. Sighing in defeat, she sat back into the car seat.

Her boyfriend gave her a questing glance from the corner of his eye. He had his arms crossed over the steering wheel, and his chin resting upon them. They had waited for the unpredicted and violent downpour to stop for ten minutes now, and it didn't look like they would get an occasion to cross the parking lot to their office without getting wet. And it didn't help that Mia broke their only umbrella the previous week.

"Can't you park somewhere closer?" Mia asked.

"For the third time, kitten, I can't. This was the only available spot. Although it might sound childish of me, I would like to point out that this wouldn't have happened if we had left sooner; say... before that twenty-minute shower you took this morning."

Mia blinked, and growled, though it was barely audible with the sound of enormous drops of water hitting the windscreen. "That nerve! I took a shower because I just couldn't go to work in the state I was in this morning! Do you think I want people to be able to tell, with a single glance, what we've been doing in that bed since six am?" Mia's cheeks turned a nice shade of scarlet. "That would be indecent!"

"Would be hot." Diego chuckled when Mia swatted at him. "Come on, kitten, take a joke."

"You insufferable man."

"I love you too." The smirking man leaned over and gave her cheek a kiss.

Mia huffed and fought the smile that was threatening to take over her features, to no avail. Diego Armando had that kind of effect on her; she couldn't stay mad at him, even though he could get really annoying. Oh, well, she wouldn't have him any other way, after all.

Diego took another look at the dark clouds, as if the situation could have possibly changed in five minutes, and thought for a few seconds. "Come on," he said then, a boyish grin on his face. "Let's get a move on."

"What do you mean?" Mia's eyes widened when she saw him open his car door. "Diego, it's raining _elephants _out there! You'll be soaked before you cross the street!"

"We'll use my coat as an umbrella. Unless you want to spend the entire day holed up in my car." He left her no room to speak as he grabbed his dark red coat and draped it over his head, slipping outside and under the wall of water.

Mia groaned as his door slammed shut; she had no choice, now, had she? She couldn't exactly leave Diego waiting for her in the rain. She reluctantly pushed her own door open and fought not to gasp at the water that assaulted her hand.

Relax.

Breathe in. Slowly.

Go! Mia sprang from her seat and closed her door the second she was out of the car. She ran to Diego, who was already holding out part of his coat for her to take shelter under.

"Run!" she yelled to cover the sound of water hitting the ground all around them.

The couple ran as fast as was humanly possible in this kind of weather. Diego made sure his coat was covering them as much as it could, though the wind gave him a hard time. He easily jumped over puddles, while Mia strained to keep up with him. Her heels were _not _designed for this.

"Diego, slow down!" she whined, tugging at his sleeve, and the other attorney laughed loudly. She took a look at him; part of his mane of brown hair was wet, clinging to his face, while the still dry strands whipped around with the wind. Water was rolling down his face, dripping from his chin, as rain splattered against his joyful features. Mia couldn't help but laugh too at her carefree lover.

"You look like a wet dog!" she guffawed, avoiding a big puddle near a tree.

"Wait until you take a good look at yourself!" Diego grinned. "It was a great idea, wearing that white shirt today, kitten!"

Mia didn't hear the last part, or at any rate, she didn't care, because she just laughed harder. She grabbed one corner of the coat and tugged it over her head more; Diego took the opportunity to wrap one arm around her waist, holding her tight against his side as they engaged in a fierce bout of tug-o'-war with the coat.

As they stopped before they crossed the street to make sure no car was coming, Mia snuggled up to Diego's chest for warmth, giggling. She was having way too much fun for it to be healthy.

The tanned attorney pressed a wet kiss to her hair as they waited for a car to drive past, and they made a final run for it, the Grossberg Law Office being right on the other side of the road.

Mia wasted no time in unlocking the door and they hurried inside, shutting out the sounds of rain, their merry laughter echoing in the empty hall. While Mia's hair had known better days, it wasn't so bad given the circumstances, the lawyer decided as she checked her reflection in the window. Diego's, on the other hand, was soaked and clung to his skull, hanging limply. He ran a hand through it to rid his eyes of the wet strands, and they flipped back with a "plop", which sent Mia in another row of giggles.

"Wet dog!" she chided.

There was some kind of promise in Diego's grin. "Oh yeah? Well, don't wet dogs tend to do... this?" Before Mia could jump away, he energetically shook his head in her direction, much like a dog would its body, sending a barrage of droplets her way.

Mia laughed as she ran away from the mini tempest. "Stop, you are getting water all over the floor!"

"We both are, kitten." Diego hung his thoroughly soaked coat on a rack next to the main door, pushing the old trashcan they stored umbrellas in under the dripping garment. He untied his black tie and wrung the water out, wincing at the distorted piece of cloth.

"What are we going to do? We can't just walk around dripping water everywhere." Luckily, Grossberg hadn't arrived yet. They would have gotten a sound trashing for the mess they had just made, and mumbles of "when I was young, I'd never blah blah..." But fortunately, even on sunny days, the man was always late to work.

"I keep some towels in my office, just in case," Diego said as he unbuttoned his vest and hung it next to his coat. "Come on, I'll clean that up later."

Mia meekly followed the older attorney into his office, watching as he opened a small closet and took out two blue towels, one of which he gave her. They tried to dry up as best as they could; Diego vigorously ran the towel over his hair to stop the persistent dripping as Mia merely wrapped it around herself and looked on with a smile on her face.

Diego noticed she was staring and offered her a wicked smirk. "Like what you see, kitten?" he asked slyly, his head tilted to one side.

Although they had been dating for a month now, Mia blushed slightly. She had hoped that now that they were together, the man would be less of a smooth-talker. Fat chance. "Well, I think your ego is already big enough as it is, so I won't answer that question," she mumbled.

It only made him grin wider. "Ha...!" he barked; he really looked like a wet dog now. "This answer suits me just as well. But I won't beat around the bush, kitten: I, for one, like the sight you're offering right now."

Mia gave him a puzzled look, and the male attorney made a gesture with his bearded chin in the general direction of her upper body. When she looked down at herself, she gasped; her nice white shirt was completely soaked... and completely see-through! _What the... I can't go to work like this! _she fretted inwardly.

"I knew you liked the red one too," he chuckled, but pouted when Mia crossed her arms over her chest and he was denied the sight of her scarlet undergarment. "You're no fun."

"This is no time for jokes, Diego! I... I can't work like this! Oh my god, I have a client coming in half an hour, what am I going to do?" Out the window went her earlier happiness when she remembered the uptight, stern-looking man she was supposed to meet that morning.

"I'm not sure he would voice any complain." Diego raised his hands and chuckled when Mia opened her mouth for what he could only assume would be a harsh retort. "All right, all right. Don't you still have that spare shirt somewhere? You know, the one with-"

"The one with the cat on the back," Mia sighed. "Yes, I do believe it's in my office, but... I think it's hardly suited for such an occasion."

"Kitten, I think that right now, anything would do. Except going topless, that is."

Mia could only agree; when she made her way to the closed door, though, there was a distinct _click _from the main office and she stopped. _Don't tell me that... _

Her eyes widened when Grossberg's very recognizable voice spoke up. Her jaw dropped when a second, grave voice she identified as her client's answered gruffly. And her heart stopped when Jake Marshall's unmistakable deep laugh filled the main office.

She was brought back to Earth when Diego brushed past her; she promptly stopped the tanned hand that was about to open the door, and give the three men in the hall a clear view of her... predicament.

"What is it?" he inquired, frowning. "Jake is here, can't I say hello?"

"I am _not _crossing the hall while three men are standing there," she hissed between her teeth, softly so it wouldn't be heard from outside the office. "It's already bad enough that you saw-"

"Not like I've never seen it before, but well..."

"-but I'm not going out there like... like this."

Diego watched her for a few seconds; his kitten wasn't going to change her mind. He sighed and ran a hand through his unruly dark hair. "What are you going to do, then? Stay holed up in my office all day?" She shook her head. "Didn't think so. So, now what?"

"I'm on it." Mia's face scrunched up a little as she thought intently; Armando couldn't help but think she looked extremely cute when she focused on something. "You could... you could distract them, or something, so I can reach my office."

One of the male attorney's eyebrows rose, skeptical. "Distract them?"

"Yes, distract them! Run around without your pants and try to do back flips in the hall, tell Grossberg you love him, dance with Jake, anything!" Mia was getting a bit desperate; the men would soon come knocking on Diego's door searching for them, that was unavoidable, and she couldn't let that happen.

"Kitten... I love you. Very much. But I'm not doing any of those things."

* * *

Jake Marshall tried to listen to the two older men's conversation but he had lost interest a long time ago. From under his soaked cowboy hat, chocolate brown eyes were inspecting the hall and the closed office doors; obviously, Diego and Mia weren't there, otherwise they would have come and greeted him.

He couldn't remember well how the three of them had become friends in the first place. He had worked on a case with Diego four months before – he wasn't supposed to, of course, but the prosecutor on that case was withholding information and Jake only felt that it was only fair that the defense attorney knew as much as the lawyer on the other side of the courtroom – and had instantly liked the character. It wasn't long before he was introduced to Mia, a rookie attorney and Diego's pupil – and also, though he only discovered it later, his girlfriend.

Jake wouldn't mind working with defense attorneys for a change; prosecutors were just so annoying. _I hope Neil won't be that bad... _

A door creaked open and Jake whirled around; he smiled warmly upon seeing Diego Armando walk out of his office. So the old coyote was here after all...

"Howdy hey," Jake greeted, tipping his sodden hat at the lawyer. "Sure took your sweet time comin' out to see us, old boy."

"Ha...! I wasn't ignoring you, there was something I needed to finish," Diego smiled, nodding to the two older men. "Mr. Grossberg, Mr. Flinch." Both of them nodded back at him but immersed themselves in their conversation again.

"Bambina not here yet?" Jake asked, taking off his hat and hanging it next to Diego's coat for it to dry. His long chestnut hair was damp and clung to his shoulders a bit.

"No, she's not available right now, but she'll soon be. She won't miss an opportunity to see you, it's been two weeks since the last time you dropped by, you know." Diego smiled and patted the detective's shoulder, the wet poncho emitting a squishing noise. "By the way, Mia named your cactus Billy, is that alright with you?"

Jake laughed. "That's great. I'll gallop over and pick him up tonight, around nine. I can't thank you enough for taking care of him while I was away."

"It was no trouble, really. Now, tell me, how is your brother doing?"

Jake's younger brother, Neil Marshall, had chosen to study criminal law at a very young age. He had initially wanted to follow in his big brother's footsteps, but somewhere along his studies, the courtroom appealed to him and he found himself ditching gun practice for law bookshops. Jake was a bit disappointed that he wouldn't get to teach his baby brother the fine art of pursuing criminals in a more literal sense, but if Neil was happy, then it was sufficient.

"Fine, I'd say. Gringo passed the bar exam last week, without breaking a sweat or so I was told. Won his first case yesterday, too, that dog, and still hasn't told me the details." Jake shook his head, but there was pride in his eyes, and in his grin.

Diego grinned back. "I hope one day we'll exchange shouts from opposite sides of a courtroom, new challenges are always... Dear god, what is this?"

The three older men watched with a puzzled expression as Diego ran to the window, obviously searching for something through the massive curtain of rain. "Er, Diego, is everything alright?" Grossberg asked.

"Have you seen that?"

"What exactly is "that", amigo?" Jake said as he stepped closer to the window.

"I think... I think it was Payne."

Grossberg tilted his chubby head to one side. "Payne? Winston Payne?"

Diego nodded. "Yes, but... he had no pants on! He's running around in the rain like... Ha...! There he goes again!"

To the coffee lover's relief, the three men huddled together in front of the window, hoping to catch even a glimpse of the prosecutor's skinny legs and get a good laugh out of it. Among mumbles of "I can't see anything" or "Is that him? No, that's a tree..." Diego's ears picked on the sound of light and rapid footfalls coming from the general direction of his office; he grinned. She didn't miss a beat.

After a few minutes of intense spying, the three men gave up on searching for the prancing prosecutor. Grossberg coughed into his hand. "Hum, well, yes, Winston must be... well, I mean, with everything he went through recently... it's no wonder that... well..." The pudgy man cleared his throat, muttering that this was exactly why he avoided overwork and stress.

"I don't think it would be wise of us to mention this to him," Diego said, biting back a smirk. "He doesn't need further embarrassment... Now, gentlemen, can I offer a warm cup of arabica in my office? You must be chilled to the bone."

"Why, if Mr. Flinch has no objection, I'll take you up on that offer, Diego," Grossberg answered, turning to Mia's client. The man nodded absently, still glancing at the window as though Winston Payne would come running again.

Diego watched as the two older men chatted their way to his office, when a hand clasped his shoulder. The dark-haired attorney turned his head and came across Jake's smiling face. "What is it you find so funny, amigo?"

"I can't believe you thought I would fall for it. Your little trick with the window, I mean." Jake laughed when Diego gave him a puzzled look. "You do play well, amigo! But I'm a detective, remember? Is it your bambina who crossed the hall while we were looking outside?"

Armando decided to drop the act and gave the cowboy wannabe a sheepish smile. "Yeah. Are all detectives that omniscient?"

"Well we try!" And Jake's face fell. "Except that new guy. He got promoted not long ago and was transferred to our ranch. Gumshoo, or something. I don't think everything's workin' quite well in there," he said in a lower tone as he poked his temple.

Diego had half a mind to tell his friend that his fellow detectives must think the same about him every time he walked into his office in his cowboy attire, and talked about ranches and horses all day, but he kept silent. Jake Marshall was just fine the way he was.

Before Diego could speak again, the theme song of _The Good, the Bad and the Ugly _filled the small hall; the attorney wasn't surprised when Jake fished his cell phone from under his poncho and brought it to his ear. "Howdy there... At the Grossberg Law Office, why?" There was a pause as Jake mindlessly scratched his stubble, waiting for whoever called him to stop talking. "Yeah, got that right, I'll be there as soon as I can. See you then, bambina."

"Who was that? A pretty cowgirl?" Diego joked, a smirk on his tanned face.

"Nope, just Lana, she's got a job for me. Kidnapping, she said."

"That's what I said: a pretty cowgirl." When Jake shot him a dark look, the attorney chuckled. He should know better than joke about Lana Skye in front of the detective. "You really should ask her out."

"Maybe I will... in due time." Jake snatched his still soaked hat from the coat rack and draped it over his head. "I'll drop by your place tonight to pick up Billy. Want to hit the saloon at the end of the week, with Neil?"

Diego nodded. "I would love to. Do you really have to go now? I'm sure Mia wants to say hello."

"I'll see her tonight, partner. And I'll tell her I love the red bra." When Armando's jaw dropped, Jake barked out a laugh. "Seriously, amigo, next time you want to have my entire attention, do something more drastic. Like proposin' to Grossberg."

"I'll... keep that in mind." Diego had a hard time figuring out whether he was more disturbed by Jake's ability to see Mia while he was looking the other way, the fact that his friend had seen his lover's undergarments, or the thought of getting down on one knee in front of Grossberg.

Jake tipped his hat at him and opened the main door. The rain hadn't let up and was pounding against the concrete harder than ever. "Well, see you tonight old boy. But before I go, I need to ask... Why Payne?"

Diego thought for a few seconds; but there was only one good, decisive reason.

"Because... I can't stand that guy."


	6. 6: Boulevard of Broken Dreams

**#6 - Boulevard of Broken Dreams**

"Oh my... Mr. Armando!"

The young doctor ran to his patient's bedside and hurriedly deposited his steaming mug of coffee on the nightstand.

He hadn't expected the man that had been lying on that bed for the past five years to just open his eyes ten minutes into his morning shift.

The young man checked the heart monitor; the patient's heart was beating a little bit too fast. The doctor frowned and looked down at the older man; his eyes, of course, were unfocused and darted from left to right. They had diagnosed irrevocable blindness two years into his coma. It was an after effect of the poison that had paramedics running to the cafeteria next to the local court, five years before; same thing for the white hair.

And those two facts were trivial compared to the things that had the whole medical staff think Diego Armando was dead.

"What... where..."

"Don't try to talk, you'll hurt your throat! Oh my god, we all thought you were dead! Or dying! Or forever lost!" The young doctor wasn't sure he was allowed to say such things, but there were other, far more important things at stake. "I'll be right back, don't you dare move!"

And he ran out of the hospital room, screaming for nurses. Leaving Diego alone.

XXXXXXX

His throat was on fire, as if he had drunk acid, and his body felt like it didn't weigh anything at all. His head felt sore, and he couldn't move his toes, but his eyes were open; of that, he was pretty sure. Then why was everything black around him?

Diego gathered his strength and managed to lift his arm halfway to his head, but the appendage felt too heavy and he let it fall on his chest. _What... I feel like... a newborn... What happened to me...? Can't see... _He gritted his teeth and lifted his arm again, succeeding in reaching his face. He pawed clumsily for anything that could be blocking his sight, but found nothing.

He quickly got frustrated, and began frantically scratching at his eyes in hope that whatever was preventing him from seeing would go away.

"Mr. Armando, this is... No don't!" The owner of the deep, old-sounding voice grabbed his wrist and got his hand away from his face. Diego wanted to growl, but the only sound that escaped his abused throat was a whimper, and he bit his lips.

"Don't try to talk." Diego wished the man would let go of his wrist and tried to twist it out of his grasp, to no avail. After a while, his strength left him completely and he went limp, panting a bit. "Good, stay calm for a little bit, you've been through a lot. Luke, please, give him a shot of Stimulix, it's right there in the drawer next to you."

As he concentrated on his breathing, Diego heard some slight commotion on his right side. Before long, he felt a small prickle at his forearm and he winced a bit. He tried to get away from the source of pain but a firm hand on his shoulder kept him still. He gritted his teeth and endured the dull pain for the few seconds it lasted, until finally the prickling stopped and the hand released his shoulder.

Diego stayed on his back, still as lost as before, but after a few moments his mind cleared and he was able to think more easily. His head still felt sore and heavy, but small glimpses of the past were coming back. He was an attorney... he worked for a fat man whose name was still a bit unclear... he remembered a cafeteria...

"Do you feel better now?" the strong voice spoke again. Diego absently nodded, although he still could not see his interlocutor. "Good. I am Doctor Jenkins. Do you remember who you are?"

"I'm... Diego... Armando," he rasped out, his voice a far cry from the velvet-like tone he used on a daily basis. "An attorney... defense attorney..."

"Excellent, your memory is intact. As you might have noticed, this is not the case for the rest of your body, unfortunately. Your sight, for example."

"W-What do you... mean?"

There was an audible sigh from somewhere to his left. "Do you remember anything about the accident at all?" Another sigh, when Diego shook his head. "I thought so. You'll probably remember in a little while, but I'm going to tell you anyway, it might speed up the process." Diego's prone body was shifted sideways; by now, he had figured out he was spread out on a bed, so it seemed logical than the shifting came from the doctor sitting on the edge of the mattress. "You were poisoned in a cafeteria."

"P... poison?"

"Yes. The dose you ingested was not strong enough to kill you, and we were able to bring you here rather quickly, so you didn't die. But the poison attacked your nerves and took over your brain. You slipped into a comatose state almost immediately after arriving here."

Diego struggled to understand. "But... then... my eyes...?"

"This is one of the after effects of the poison. I'm sorry, Mr. Armando, but you're completely and irremediably blind."

The attorney was silent for a moment as he processed the news, his head sagging back into his pillow. Blind. He was blind. He had lost his freaking eyes. This was already bad enough, but his sharp attorney senses had kicked in again and unconsciously noticed something. "You said this was... _one... _of the after effects," he whispered weakly. "There are... others?"

"Well... you can't see that, but your hair turned completely white. It's not that bad, medically and aesthetically speaking."

Diego unconsciously raised a hand to his mass of hair, and was startled when he followed the strand he had trapped between his fingers; it stretched down to his shoulder and rested on his collarbone. He couldn't remember the exact length, but he was certain that the only time he had let his hair reach past his shoulders was when he was seventeen, and even then it had taken him months...

If not years...

"How long... did you say I was in coma?" he asked, his voice gradually coming back.

"I haven't told you that yet." A comforting hand closed itself around his forearm. "Mr. Armando... you slept for five years."

Five years. Sixty months. Too many days. Too much time.

Diego's body went limp again, and he thought for a frightening second that he was going to slip back into coma from shock.

Five years. How could such a thing be possible? _There has to be some kind of... mistake... _

"Are you sure?" he asked softly, and he felt like an idiot.

But the doctor's voice was soothing. "We are pretty sure, Mr. Armando, we watched over you the whole time. It's a miracle that you were able to come back to us, we were losing hope."

_We were losing hope..._

Something clicked in Diego's head and he tried to sit up, only to be stopped by the doctor's hand on his chest. "You shouldn't move around too much."

"Where is Mia? Is she alright?" he asked shakily.

Mia, his dear little kitten. Mia, the woman he loved more than life itself. He had left her alone all those years, but he dared hope, in the deepest circle of his heart, that she hadn't lost hope, that she hadn't given up on him.

Unfortunately, his brain, now fully awake, replayed the awful scene as if the memory was only one day-old, and not five years.

XXXXXXX

"_One espresso and one peppermint tea for the lovely couple!" the cheerful blond waitress said as she put the cups down on the table. "Enjoy!" _

_Diego smiled sweetly at the pretty girl. "I won't chew you out for that comment because that coffee you brought looks promising," he said, his gentle tone the exact contrary of what his words implied. _

_The waitress' smile wavered a little and when she hastily walked away, Diego's hard eyes switched back to Dahlia Hawthorne again. He still didn't know why she had wanted him to come over to the courtroom cafeteria and he was on his guard; being careful never hurt with that woman. _

_Dahlia was sitting in front of the male attorney, and how she managed to look graceful even without moving was beyond him. Her delicate hands were wrapped around her cup of tea and she occasionally sipped at it, being careful not to spill any of the liquid on her immaculate white dress. _

_Diego took a mouthful of coffee as he studied her with sharp brown eyes. "It would be a relief if you told me the purpose of this meeting," he said as he put his cup down. "I've got a train to catch, so if you don't mind, go straight to the point." _

_This was no metaphor; Mia was supposed to join him at the cafeteria, and they would have some lunch before they departed for Kurain to visit Pearl and Maya. It had been a while since the last time he saw the young girls, four months in fact, but he had been so obsessed with work that he had not found any time to spare. _

_Those four months, he had spent them solving occasional, easy cases, but he had also devoted every minute of free time to the thing that kept him awake at night: the unsolved murder of Valerie Hawthorne. He was convinced that Dahlia Hawthorne was the killer, but he wouldn't amount to anything without solid evidence and, more importantly, some efficient help. When he first asked her, Mia flat out refused, stating that she never wanted to see the demonic woman again, and that she didn't care about what truly happened anyway. The death of her first client was still a gaping wound at that time, slowly beginning to scar. But before long, she came back to him and agreed that they had to do something. _

_She couldn't find sleep, either. _

_They set to work; hunted for clues, background checks, testimonies, everything that could inculpate Dahlia. Countless hours spent in the dead of night on the Internet for old newspapers, classmates. Heated discussions about the way Dahlia managed to stuff her stepsister's body in Fawles' stolen car. Thoughts that plagued theirs minds even when they were supposed to be resting. _

_And just when Diego thought the investigations were seriously getting somewhere, the Demon called. And invited him over to the courtroom cafeteria for a little chat and a coffee. _

_Diego had been overjoyed; this was the perfect opportunity to present some of the facts they had collected and press the young woman some more. Mia hadn't been too keen on the idea; how had Dahlia gotten his number? Why had she called just when they were about to uncover the truth? This was suspicious, very suspicious, and she had begged him not to go. _

"_There are plenty of people in the courtroom cafeteria, kitten, people she'd rather never see again," he had chuckled, his self-confidence grating on Mia's nerves. "Judges, attorneys, cops even... The place she picked is quite odd coming from her, that's for sure, but at least I know she won't try anything drastic in such a place. You don't have to worry about me, love, she won't have any ace up her sleeve." _

_And she definitely hadn't; her white dress was sleeveless and had no pocket, along with lacy shoes. Her umbrella was nowhere is sight; Diego chuckled at the idea that any weapon she might have would have to be stored in her cleavage. _Well, she could learn a thing or two from Mia...

_Dahlia pushed a red strand back behind a delicate ear, a sweet smile on her face. "And why would there be a precise point, Mr. Armando?" she asked, and the pristine giggle that followed sent shudders down Diego's spine. The kind that made him want to rip things apart. "Can't it be a... social meeting?" _

"_Though you may smile, I still see the fangs in your mouth, little kitten. You couldn't care less for _social meetings." _Diego leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs. The casual gesture never failed to annoy Mia, and he certainly hoped it would annoy Dahlia, too. The courtroom was his playground, every part of it, and the cafeteria was no exception; the perfect field to trap her. "I'd say... you're getting worried." _

_The look of genuine confusion on her youthful face seemed like it had been worked on quite diligently, for Diego almost fell for it. "Worried? I don't understand, Mr. Armando..." _

"_Ha...! We'll see how worried you are when you're back in the courtroom, but this time, sitting in the defendant box. I'd gladly impersonate a prosecutor that day. And just so you know, I'm getting closer and closer to the truth everyday," he added with a smug grin. He would break her, just like she had broken Mia through Terry Fawles. _

_Dahlia's expressionless face turned into a frown. "It's that filthy liar, isn't it? She asked you to find something to accuse me of, since she couldn't prove me guilty of anything at that trial? Since the truth bothers her?" _

"_Mia didn't ask anything of me," Diego retorted sharply. "I was the one who thought there was – and still is – something strange about your character. I ran my own little investigation. Besides, you shouldn't be bothered by Mia anymore... she quit." _

_The surprised expression, this time, wasn't faked. "She quit?" _

_Diego nodded. "Her first client died at the witness stand, in front of her eyes. She held on for a while but she wasn't strong enough to take the strain anymore, so she quit a few weeks after that trial. I don't see her that often these days, but it's a good thing she left, she was too weak for the job." _

_That had to be the biggest, worst lie the male attorney ever said. Sure, Mia had thought about quitting right after her first trial, but he had convinced her to stay. She was strong, she could take it; the courtroom needed attorneys like her. To spill lies about her in such a way almost made Diego gag, but he had to ensure Dahlia thought Mia was far from being involved in this. He could play with his safety, and his life – though it had yet to be proved, that woman had murdered her stepsister, and he was having coffee with her – but he would sooner die than endanger his girlfriend. _

_Hawthorne's face relaxed and she giggled again. "Oh, well, her loss," she said, shrugging one shoulder. "She doesn't know what she's missing on." _

_Diego raised one eyebrow. "Is that a confession to something? Good. I like kittens who don't beat around the bush." _

_The young woman laughed openly and he sipped some coffee to keep from hitting her across the table. "Oh, Mr. Armando, you're so funny! No, I don't have any confession to make, only... a request." _

Ha, so this is the main course. _"I'm all ears, Ms. Hawthorne, though you're in no position to be asking things. But you'll learn I'm quite the forbearing man." _

"_Well, I was wondering, since you don't have a pupil anymore... Law always fascinated me, you see, and I've studied it on the side for a few years... Maybe you could-"_

"_I'd rather _die _than work with you, let alone be your mentor." Diego couldn't believe the girl was asking him _this! _He had come here prepared for everything: bribery, threats, physical assault even. But not this. _

_Sadness and hurt took over Dahlia's features. "But... Mr. Armando... I spent six months working up the courage to ask you this... I want to be in the courtroom, defending people, and more than everything else, I..." She looked down at the tiled floor, her cheeks turning a soft pink. "I... want to be with you..." _

_Diego was glad he had no coffee in his mouth at the end of her sentence, or else he would have sprayed the dark beverage all over the table. The thought of the two of them as a couple disgusted him, but he was too surprised to voice his aversion. She had to be kidding him! And she had to be daft, if she thought he would say yes. _

"_I'd swear you are trying to seduce me, Ms. Hawthorne," the distraught lawyer growled to hide his confusion. "You can't be serious." _

"_I can't be more serious, Diego." _

_Dahlia's hand reached over to place itself atop Diego's tanned one, and his first reflex was to snatch the appendage away as if it had been burnt. The gesture sent his spoon, which was resting under his palm, falling to the floor with a clatter. _

_For a few seconds, he stared at the woman he had been keeping track of for the last six months like she had sprouted another head. _

"_Is that a no?" the thorned flower asked softly. _

"_No: that's a "no way in hell"," Diego answered, trying to keep a casual tone and not let his anger explode. _

_In order to soothe his nerves and take his eyes off her for a little while, he bent over and retrieved his spoon from under the table. He sat back up and cleaned the metallic object, taking his time to avoid talking to her again. But she broke the silence. _

"_I guess it's fine; you'd make a lousy boyfriend anyway." _

_The words had him raise his eyes and meet her gaze again; but gone was the sweet, gentle Dahlia from mere seconds before. Under her furrowed eyebrows, her eyes were mocking and there was a glint in them that Diego would later recognize as evil. _

_He picked up his cup and drank a mouthful of coffee; he winced at the bitter, almost acrid taste that he hadn't noticed in his first few sips. _She's getting me so upset that it messes with my taste buds. _For some reason, the glint in Dahlia's eyes shone brighter and was backed up by a mirthful smirk. _

"_To what do I owe this accusation?" he asked, setting the cup down. _

_Dahlia shrugged. "You already are a lousy man. You share coffee with a woman whom you think murdered her stepsister, and just the fact that the meeting unfolds in familiar surroundings is enough to make you lower your guard. I can't stand smug dogs." _

_The tone she was using was very different from her usually sickly sweet voice. Diego's stomach tightened, and he didn't know if it was from the coffee or apprehension. "You did not come just to ask me out, did you?" he asked carefully. _

"_Tee hee, those deducing skills will always impress me! Too bad you didn't think of that sooner." _

_A bead of sweat rolled down Diego's forehead, and his stomach tightened even more. He knew now that this couldn't be from apprehension. "What do you mean?" _

"_I'm sure the fine attorney you are can put two and two together, but since your mind seems to be fogged, I'll summarize it up for you: one, you come over and have coffee with a murderer." She grinned at his flabbergasted expression. "Two, you let the murderer in question out of your sight for a moment."_

_Diego frowned; sure, he had broken eye contact for five seconds, the time it took to pick up his spoon. But he had made sure she wasn't carrying anything, so... _Wait, something changed. That necklace wasn't there before.

_The small, heart-shaped necklace hung from Dahlia's neck in plain sight. He hadn't seen it when they were discussing, and was about to dismiss it when he noticed the tiny vial in the middle of the heart pattern. It looked like it could be opened, but at the moment it was... empty. _

_Diego paled as realization dawned on him, making Dahlia smirk wider. _

"_And three... did you know that every time you're at a loss for words or annoyed, you drink coffee?" _

_That cunning, heartless little bitch. He should have seen this coming. _

"_What... what did you put in my cup?" Diego rasped, as his throat began to tighten. _

_Dahlia shrugged, standing up gracefully. "Oh, I don't really know what it is, only what it does. Have no fear; you are only going to die in the most painful, degrading way." _

_Diego was about to growl out something but a spasm forced him to clutch both sides of the table. Sweat was pouring down his back and he had trouble breathing, air coming out in short gasps. The thought that her weapon had finally come from her cleavage after all wasn't even the least bit funny. _

_Dahlia chuckled and walked up to him, leaning in next to his ear. "And you know what's worst? You were right about everything," she whispered softly, her hand on his shoulder as his whole body trembled. "But the world will never know. And by the way, your precious "kitten" has been standing outside for the past five minutes. Isn't that badge on her collar something you attorneys carry around?" She chuckled when Diego gagged, and ran a hand through his wild hair. "Don't worry, her time will come, but for now I'm going to tell her you are waiting for her in here, so that she may watch as you die. I owe the both of you that much."_

_Armando hissed, paralyzed with pain, and nausea kept him from yelling for help. He had been right, Mia had been right, he had been so close... but he was powerless. He couldn't even shrug her off or push her away. _

"_I guess this is farewell, Diego." Dahlia leaned close and gently kissed his cheek. "I won't miss you." _

_And she was gone. _

_He was clutching the table with so much strength that his whole hands were turning white. Why, oh why had he chosen the usual corner table? He couldn't be seen by most of the cafeteria's clients, and that day there weren't many consumers to begin with. He was burning up, and yet his spine was tortured by shudders. When his sight began to dim, he knew for sure that he was going to die. _

_The sound of heels hitting the ground behind him was a relief. But when their owner stopped at his table, regret overtook relief. Mia..._

"_Diego, you told me it would only take... Diego? What's wrong?" The young woman sat down in front of her boyfriend and looked at him worriedly. "You're so pale... why are you holding the table like this?" _

"_Mia... call... help," he hissed through gritted teeth. Nausea was getting stronger. _

"_Are you sick? There's a doctor on the other side of the street, we could-"_

"_Call help! Quick!" Diego leaned forward on the table, his cheek pressed against the smooth plastic surface. He couldn't feel his insides anymore, and you can't control something you can't feel. He probably had only a few seconds left._

_Mia sensed this was something serious and retrieved her cell phone from her bag. "Alright! Alright, just breathe, I'm right here," she said soothingly, rubbing his back. Under the __table, Diego's feet were kicking uncontrollably, which made her frown; what the hell was happening? _

"Good afternoon, you've reached 911, what can I do for you?"

"_Hello, I'm at the district court cafeteria, could you send an ambulance?" Mia said as she moved her hand to the back of Diego's neck to massage it, but did a double take upon feeling the hot skin there. _

"The ambulance is on its way, ma'am, please remain calm and keep talking to me_," the woman on the phone said. _

"_Oh, I'm alright, but my boyfriend... I don't know what's happening to him," the young attorney said shakily, her hand feeling Diego's sweat-drenched forehead and running through his damp hair. "It looks like a fever, but he has violent spasms and... dear god!" _

_Mia threw her phone aside when Diego's body heaved and he threw up blood all over the table, a surprised shout finding its way out of her throat. "Oh god, Diego! What the hell happened to you?" she cried, holding his shoulders as he spewed more blood. _

_His grasp on the table faltered, and if it hadn't been for Mia holding him up, he would have fallen to the floor in the puddle of his own blood. His insides were on fire and there was little he could see save for his shaky hands and the mess he had made on the table. Another wave of nausea hit him before he could catch his breath again and blood ran down his chin in small rivulets as he gasped for air. _

"_Diego! Diego, keep breathing!" Mia yelled, holding him against her side. "The ambulance is coming, just hold on a bit more! Please!" _

_But Armando's brain had about the same capacities as mashed potatoes at that moment. When she cupped his blood-covered face to force him to look at her in the eye, however, he noticed the tears. _

_His pale, cold hand came up shakily and wiped a tear away weakly. "Don't," he rattled, agony clawing at his ribcage. _

"_Don't go, don't leave me, please please please..." Her sobs intensified when he coughed up more blood, and she hugged his head to her chest gently. "I'm begging you, hold on..." _

"_Love... you..." _

_Breathing was becoming harder with each passing second, and his sight fogged until he could only see her eyes, her beautiful mocha eyes, filled to the brim with tears he had sworn he would never see her shed again._

"_I love you too, Diego, please stay with me!"_

_But with a last bloody grin, dark brown eyes closed and his head fell to the side._

_Mia's desperate scream wasn't enough to save Diego from the darkness that embraced him. _

XXXXXXX

Her pleas and shouts were still fresh in his mind, five years later.

"I... I want to see her," he said weakly. "Could... could you find her? Tell her that I'm awake, that I love her... please." He couldn't care less if he was blind, sick, disabled or comatose; he wanted her by his side.

The doctor was silent for a little while, and there was a pat on Diego's forearm. "I think you should rest a bit, you need it."

"No! I need her... please, can't you understand? She means the world to me."

"Then your world is going to be pretty messed up," a second voice spoke up, and Diego blinked. He had almost forgotten there was another doctor in the room as well.

"W... what do you mean?" the white-haired man asked, dread pooling in his stomach.

"Luke! It's too soon, he is not ready for such news!"

Diego heard the younger man snort. "He'll figure it out sooner or later, and sooner means we won't have to walk on eggs around him." Luke sighed and sat on the bed as well. "Mia Fey... died last year. You would have found out eventually."

Diego's brain heard, analyzed, understood... but denied. "No," he said firmly. "She's not."

"I assure you she is, dead as can be."

"No, you must be talking about someone else..."

"Good God, Armando!" Luke growled. "You were dead to the world for five years! Things happened out there, and I think we know better than you if your girlfriend is alive or not!"

"That's enough, Luke!" Dr. Jenkins' voice snapped angrily. "Leave this room, now!"

The younger doctor left, but it was too late; his point had gotten across.

"Why... did you let me live?" Diego muttered, his blind eyes downcast. "If she is dead... then... I don't have a purpose anymore..."

"Now, Mr. Armando... you can't think that way, she wouldn't want you to-"

"She was everything I ever stood for!" the tanned man roared, his brain registering that he would never see her smile again, and his heart finally starting to bleed. He sat up completely, not giving a damn about his protesting spine. "She was the reason I was happy to wake up in the morning! If she's gone... I have nothing to fight for!"

_Everything is over. _The first tears rolled down his cheeks, in silence. _Everything is over. _

"I... I want to die. I was meant to die five years ago, it won't change a thing," he said through small sobs. "This life... has no meaning anymore..."

Jenkins' hand closed around his shoulder, and Diego thought that the old doctor was going to grant him his wish. Fat chance. "I'm sorry, Mr. Armando, but this is not the way things work. If you are awake today, then you weren't meant to die five years ago. Your awakening is a miracle I am not going to soil."

Little did the good doctor know, but Diego's already wounded heart exploded in his ribcage. This was unfair; they had worked to bring a murderer to justice, and right before they succeeded, he had been poisoned and put to sleep for years. He deserved to wake up and find Mia at his bedside. They deserved to be happy, together, for many years.

But did fate really give a damn about what you deserve?

Pure rage engulfed Diego from head to toes, and before the doctor could help it, the tanned man grabbed the IV on his arm and ripped the small tubes out of his flesh. Some warm liquid, which could only be blood, landed on his thigh. His head was spinning, but he didn't stop to think before he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and felt the cold tiles under his soles.

He didn't know what he was wearing, and he couldn't see a single thing, but it didn't deter him. Ignoring Jenkins' protests, he wobbled over to the nearest wall, raw anger pulsing through his body and allowing him to stay upright. He would find a door, a window, something. He would run, jump, anything. He would see Mia again.

Before he could find any window or door, however, multiple hands grabbed him and lifted him from the ground. "Let me go!" he roared, throwing punches and kicks at random, the beast in his heart howling. "Leave me the fuck alone! You can't tell me what to do!"

"This is for your own good, Mr. Armando," Jenkins' voice said from somewhere to his right as he was carried, back to his bed it seemed.

"You don't know what is good for me! She's gone! _She's gone!_ _Nothing is worth living anymore!" _His screams echoed in the room and he felt dizzy from the effort, but he kept fighting fiercely against the doctors.

He howled at the top of his lungs until his throat felt sore. He punched and kicked until his very bones felt like they were going to shatter. He cried until he had no tears left in him anymore, and even after that.

But in the end, he lost the fight.

They put him back to bed and restrains were tied around his wrists and his ankles to keep him in place. He struggled some more, but his exhausted body had the final say in this and he sagged back into his pillow, defeated tears running down his face. Through his emotional pain, he was vaguely aware of someone cleaning his arm and putting IV back in.

"I think you need to be alone right now. I'll come by later, Mr. Armando, try to catch some sleep."

The doctors exited the room, leaving a heartbroken Diego crying on his hospital bed, until exhaustion took over and he slipped into a deep, restless but mercifully dreamless slumber.

XXXXXXX

"Mr. Armando... can I come in?"

A new voice. A man, obviously, but the timbre was unknown to Diego.

Not that he cared. According to the variations in the amount of activities going on around him, the blind man had established that almost a week had gone by since he woke up. He had spent the first two days struggling and fighting, the next two growling on his bed, but now he just felt numb, and hollow.

Many times, he had willed his mind to go back to sleep once and for all, but he had never slept for more than three hours. He wasn't eating, wasn't drinking, which forced the doctors to hook up another IV. They scolded him like they would a little child, saying that he ought to be grateful he was alive at all.

Diego could only chuckle bitterly at those inanities.

"I fail to see how I could prevent it," he answered eventually, absently tugging at his long hair. It was annoying, but he couldn't see the point of getting a haircut.

The newcomer's steps neared the bed, and deposited something small on the bed. "I am Dr. Dorian, I don't think Dr. Jenkins mentioned my name to you."

"I don't think so either..." _Why am I even talking to him? He's probably one of those med students that came by just to get a look at me... _"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. In fact, I may have something for you."

Diego's curiosity was jolted for the first time in seven days, but he kept on a straight face. "There's nothing I want. Now go away."

"I can give you back your sight."

Something poked at his heart; was it hope? No; he crushed the feeling as soon as it appeared. "If that were true, I would have been informed sooner. I'm not undergoing any operation, that would be useless."

"I am not talking about an operation, Mr. Armando. I have been working on that device-" There were some muffled sounds which reminded Diego of a hand patting a hollow box. "-for the past two years and I think it's ready. Dr. Jenkins and I... we aren't on the best of terms, so it doesn't surprised me he never told you about my work."

"So... you're basically asking me to be your personal guinea pig?" The Diego Armando from before would have been offended; but the blind man he had been reduced to just didn't care. "I don't see how that's beneficial for me."

"But... you'll get your sight back!"

"Again, what beneficial effect is that? I don't see the point of getting my eyes back if the only thing this is going to change is that I'll be able to get a visual picture of how screwed up my life is." He wasn't sure he wanted to see himself in a mirror again, or see the flat he had shared with Mia. He was better off blind, after all.

There was a sound which Diego recognized as cardboard being opened, and a small metallic clank. "Listen, I'll just leave it on the nightstand. It's some sort of mask; there's a switch inside that you have to toggle on, then you put it on your face. If you could just try it... it would mean a lot to me. I'll leave the decision to you."

The doctor bid him goodbye and took his leave.

At first Diego shook his head, not the least bit interested. But hours later, curiosity and boredom both reached heights that the former attorney never thought existed. Unconsciously, his left hand felt around for the nightstand and the unknown device that was sitting upon it.

His fingers met cold, hard metal and he cautiously lifted the item. It wasn't heavy, and there were tube-shaped protuberances along its length. Diego turned it in his hands a few times, running his pads over metal and what felt like plastic, until his thumb came across the switch the doctor had mentioned.

He hesitated; what is worth it? What good would it do? Then again, nothing could make things worse... On impulse, he pushed the switch until there was distinct click, and took a breath before bringing the mask up and over his eyes.

His frail wrists were the first things he saw; their gauntness was frightening, and he understood then why he felt so weak all the time. His body was alarmingly emaciated.

Diego didn't linger on himself much time, choosing instead to study his room, the room he had spent the last five years of his life. It was white, clean – just as the smell of chemicals had suggested – and overly bare, except for his bed, a nightstand and a chair.

There was a newspaper on the chair, which excited his curiosity a bit more. Thoroughly bored, Diego decided to read it; with some effort, he reached over and grabbed the paper, folding it over his lap. Automatically, he looked for the date. _September 9, 2017... I can't believe it... _

On the front page, there was a picture of a young man in a blue suit, with a terrible hairstyle and a big, stupid grin. But what caught Diego's eye wasn't his smile, or the porcupine he must have mistaken for a hairbrush; he would never forget what the gleaming badge pinned to the young man's suit stood for. _An attorney... funny... _

The white-haired man's attention settled on the article itself:

_**Phoenix Wright: one year and still kickin'!**_

"_Not Guilty!" That's something you have to get used to hear whenever_

_Phoenix Wright is in the courtroom. The young defense attorney, no longer_

_a "rookie", won his seventh murder case in a row yesterday. The defendant, _

_Maggey Byrde, was cleared of all the charges she was accused of. What's_

_more, our "eagle of the courtroom", as people like to call him, found the real_

_murderer: Richard Wellington, a "virtuoso" of sinister nature, fell under_

_our hero's logic and deducing skills. _

_Let us not forget that Phoenix Wright's grand debut in the courtroom_

_was not especially happy. Indeed, our favorite attorney shall always_

_remember September 5 as the day his mentor was brutally murdered in her office,_

_and he could do nothing to prevent it. Ever since Mia Fey's death-_

Diego did a double take and re-read the paragraph carefully. That stupid grinning guy was... Mia's pupil? That Phoenix Wright?

Once he got over the initial shock, something from the article made him frown.

_-and he could do nothing to prevent it. _

Nothing to prevent it? He was alive, awake and well! Why hadn't he protected her? Why did he let her die? Diego growled and watched the picture again, his blood boiling. How could the idiot grin like this? How could he smile at all, after he had failed to protect her?

_Curse you, Wright, curse you to the deepest pit of hell! If I ever find you, I... I... _Diego stopped that line of thought before it reached its end; he would never find him. And even if he did, how would he get his revenge?

For the first time since he woke up, something flared inside Diego, something he thought was forever lost: a goal. A purpose. Granted, his thirst for revenge was what motivated him, but it worked just as well.

And it was almost ridiculous, the way a plan easily hatched in his mind.


End file.
